Service Mapping: Create an empty table (or alternative approach)

[Brent Sutton]

Hi All,

I've got an issue where I need to create an empty table before using a "transform table" step to add the columns and populate the contents of the table.

I've been unable to work out how to create an empty table so as a workaround I've parsed an existing variable into the table I want to create and then add the remaining table variables in the following step. This works fine but doesn't work well from a readability perspective.

In a perfect world, I would create and populate the table in one step. I haven't worked out a way to do this as most of the values I need are temporary variables.

See current pattern steps below:

Step One:

Step Two:

Any suggestions around how to create an empty table or suggestions around alternative methods would be much appreciated.

Brent

[Brent Sutton]

Hi Robert,

I think I'll settle with my original workaround which was to create the temp table by parsing the $entry_point.ip_address into my $appinfo[].ip_address temp table.

The $appinfo table is in the temporary variables area which allows me to access the other temp variables when $appinfo is set as the source table in the Transform Table operation. This means I can perform the table transform directly into my target CI which has allowed me to reduce a pattern step. The whole pattern is now only three steps so probably not worth spending any more time on it.

Thanks for your help.

Brent

[Tony Chatfield1]

I am guessing from the screen shots your working in flow? (at least not old fashoned transform map)
it's not something I currently have experence with so my input may not add any value.

Can you create your variables\call whatever function creates them, from within a (before) transform script and then consume them\map them as you go?

Alternatively you could possibly create a seperate import table for your data and populate it in advance, then purge it when you are done.

[Brent Sutton]

Hi Tony,

I'm working in a Service Mapping application discovery pattern.

You were probably confused because there is an operation step type of "Transform Table" which isn't related to Transform Maps.

Thanks for your suggestions but they won't help with this question.

Brent

[Brent Sutton · Accepted solution]

I managed to work out how to create an empty table in the end.

1. Create a step using the "union tables" operation.
2. Set the first, second and target table parameters with the same table name.

This results in an empty table being created.

Hope this information helps anyone that had the same issue.

Brent