Serialize To File

Description

The Serialize To File transform stores rows of data in a binary format in a file. The binary format has an advantage over a text (flat) file because the content does not have to be parsed when read back. The metadata is stored in the file as well.

The Serialize to file transform supports a write-once access pattern, and does not support appending to existing files.

Options

Option Description

Option	Description
Transform name	Name of the transform. This name has to be unique in a single pipeline.
Filename	Name of the cube file to write. The path can contain variables.
Include transform nr in filename	Gives each transform copy its own file. The copy number is inserted before the extension, starting at 0. With this option, `data.cube` is written as `data_0.cube`, `data_1.cube`, and so on. You can instead put `'${Internal.Transform.CopyNr}'` in the filename. Use one of the two. Using both inserts the number twice.
Create parent folders	Create the parent folders when they do not exist.
Do not create file at start	Wait for the first row before creating the file. Otherwise the file is created when the pipeline starts, including the layout of an empty stream.
Add filenames to result	Add the written filename to the list of result filenames.

Transform name

Name of the transform. This name has to be unique in a single pipeline.

Filename

Name of the cube file to write. The path can contain variables.

Include transform nr in filename

Gives each transform copy its own file. The copy number is inserted before the extension, starting at 0. With this option, data.cube is written as data_0.cube, data_1.cube, and so on. You can instead put '${Internal.Transform.CopyNr}' in the filename. Use one of the two. Using both inserts the number twice.

Create parent folders

Create the parent folders when they do not exist.

Do not create file at start

Wait for the first row before creating the file. Otherwise the file is created when the pipeline starts, including the layout of an empty stream.

Add filenames to result

Add the written filename to the list of result filenames.

Several files at once

Set the number of copies on the transform and enable Include transform nr in filename. Each copy writes the rows it receives to its own file. De-serialize from file reads those files back with the same option and the same number of copies.

A single copy writes one file. Several copies that share one filename overwrite that file.