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Complex Flat File in DataStage

Last updated: Mar 12, 2025
Complex Flat File in DataStage

The Complex Flat File (CFF) connector is a file connector. You can use the connector to read a file or write to a file, but you cannot use the same connector to do both.

As a source, the CFF connector can have a single input link, multiple output links and a single reject link. You can read data from one or more complex flat files, including MVS data sets with QSAM and VSAM files. You can also read data from files that contain multiple record types. The source data can contain one or more of the following clauses:
  • GROUP
  • REDEFINES
  • OCCURS
  • OCCURS DEPENDING ON
Note: Although the CFF connector supports OCCURS DEPENDING ON clauses on read, it does not completely support them on write.
CFF source connectors run in parallel mode when they are used to read multiple files. You can configure the connector to run sequentially if it is reading only one file with a single reader.

As a target, the CFF connector can have a single input link and a single reject link. You can write data to one or more complex flat files. You cannot write to MVS data sets or to files that contain multiple record types.

CFF connector can recognize hdfs files if the file name begins with hdfs://. For example, if the file name is /tmp/input.txt, you need to specify hdfs:///tmp/input.txt in the File name(s) field.