SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin reads files from a server using the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or FTP Secure (FTPS) protocol. For information about supported versions, see Supported Systems and Versions.

The origin uses the file name as the offset and does not reprocess a file with a changed timestamp. As a result, the files to be processed must be fully written. The origin does not support reading data from an active file that is still being written to.

When you configure the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin, you specify the protocol to use and the URL where the files reside on the remote server. You can also use a connection to configure the origin. You can specify whether to process files in subdirectories, a file name pattern, and the first file to process. You can use glob patterns or regular expressions to define the file name pattern that you want to use.

When needed, you can connect to the server through an HTTP or SOCKS proxy. You can also specify a file processing delay.

If the server requires authentication, configure the credentials for the protocol you are using. For the SFTP protocol, the origin can require that the server be listed in a known hosts file. For the FTPS protocol, the origin can authenticate with the server using a client certificate and can authenticate the certificate from the FTPS server.

You can configure the origin to download files to an archive directory if the origin encounters errors while reading the files.

When the pipeline stops, the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin notes where it stops reading. When the pipeline starts again, the origin continues processing from where it stopped by default. You can reset the origin to process all requested files.

Note: The origin processes files based on file names and locations. Having files with the same name in the same location can cause the origin to skip reading the duplicate files.

The origin can generate events for an event stream. For more information about dataflow triggers and the event framework, see Dataflow Triggers Overview.

After processing a file, the origin can keep, archive, or delete the file.

File Name Pattern and Mode

Use a file name pattern to define the files that the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin processes. You can use either a glob pattern or a regular expression to define the file name pattern.

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin processes files at the specified path based on the file name pattern mode and file name pattern. When processing subdirectories, the origin uses the same pattern to locate file names in the subdirectories. The origin does not use the pattern to locate subdirectories.

When you specify a glob pattern, you can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as * or ?. For example, the pattern ??a represents three-character file names which end with a. The pattern *.txt represents file names of one or more characters ending with .txt.

In a glob pattern, you cannot use a tilde (~) or slash (/). You cannot use a period (.) at the beginning of the pattern. The origin treats a period as a literal in other spots in the pattern.

The origin processes files in order based on the specified read order.

For more information about glob syntax, see the Oracle Java documentation. For more information about regular expressions, see Regular Expressions Overview.

Default is *, which processes all files.

Read Order

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin reads files in ascending order based on the last-modified timestamp. When the origin reads from a secondary location - not the directory where the files are created and written - the last-modified timestamp should be when the file is moved to the directory to be processed.

Tip: Avoid moving files using commands that preserve the existing timestamp, such as

cp
                    -p

. Preserving the existing timestamp can be problematic in some cases, such as moving files across time zones.

When ordering based on timestamp, any files with the same timestamp are read in lexicographically ascending order based on the file names.

For example, when reading files with the log*.json file name pattern, the origin reads the following files in the following order:

`File Name`	`Last Modified Timestamp`
`log-1.json`	`APR 24 2016 14:03:35`
`log-0054.json`	`APR 24 2016 14:05:03`
`log-0055.json`	`APR 24 2016 14:45:11`
`log-2.json`	`APR 24 2016 14:45:11`

First File for Processing

Configure a first file for processing when you want the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin to ignore one or more existing files in the directory.

When you define a first file to process, the origin starts processing with the specified file and continues processing files in the expected read order: files that match the file name pattern in ascending order based on the last-modified timestamp.

When you do not specify a first file, the origin processes the files in the directory that match the file name pattern, starting with the earliest file and continuing in ascending order.

For example, if you specify a first file with the last-modified timestamp of 6/01/2017 00:00:00, the origin starts processing with that file and ignores all older files in the directory.

Note: When you restart a stopped pipeline, the origin ignores this property. It starts where it left off regardless of the first file name unless you reset the origin.

Credentials

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin can use several methods to authenticate with the remote server. From the Credentials tab, configure the authentication required by the remote server.

Authentication options differ for each protocol:

For all protocols, select an authentication method to log in to the remote server. Choose the method based on the protocol and remote server requirements:
- None - The stage does not authenticate with the server.
- Password - The stage authenticates with the server using a user name and password. You must specify the user name and password.
- Private key - The stage authenticates using a private key. Use only with the SFTP protocol. You must specify the private key, either in a local file or in plain text.
For the SFTP protocol, the stage can require that the server be listed in a known hosts file. You must specify the path to the known hosts file that contains the host keys for the approved SFTP servers.
For the FTPS protocol, the stage can use certificates to authenticate with the server. You must specify the keystore file and password. You can also configure the stage to authenticate the server by specifying a truststore provider. For more information about keystores and truststores, see Keystore and Truststore Configuration.

Record Header Attributes

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin creates record header attributes that include information about the originating file for the record. When the origin processes Avro data, it includes the Avro schema in an avroSchema record header attribute.

You can use the record:attribute or record:attributeOrDefault functions to access the information in the attributes. For more information about working with record header attributes, see Working with Header Attributes.

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin creates the following record header attributes:

avroSchema - When processing Avro data, provides the Avro schema.
filename - Provides the name of the file where the record originated.
file - Provides the file path and file name where the record originated.
mtime - Provides the last-modified time for the file.
remoteUri - Provides the resource URL used by the stage.

Event Generation

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin can generate events that you can use in an event stream. When you enable event generation, the origin generates event records each time the origin starts or completes reading a file. It can also generate events when it completes processing all available data and the configured batch wait time has elapsed.

SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin events can be used in any logical way. For example:

With the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client executor to move a file after processing it.
For an example, see Managing Output Files.

With the Pipeline Finisher executor to stop the pipeline and transition the pipeline to a Finished state when the origin completes processing available data.
When you restart a pipeline stopped by the Pipeline Finisher executor, the origin continues processing from the last-saved offset unless you reset the origin.
For an example, see Stopping a Pipeline After Processing All Available Data.
With the Email executor to send a custom email after receiving an event.
For an example, see Sending Email During Pipeline Processing.

With a destination to store event information.
For an example, see Preserving an Audit Trail of Events.

For more information about dataflow triggers and the event framework, see Dataflow Triggers Overview.

Event Records

Event records generated by the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin have the following event-related record header attributes. Record header attributes are stored as String values:


Record Header Attribute	Description
sdc.event.type	Event type. Uses one of the following types: new-file - Generated when the origin starts processing a new file. finished-file - Generated when the origin completes processing a file. no-more-data - Generated after the origin completes processing all available files and the number of seconds configured for Batch Wait Time has elapsed.
sdc.event.version	Integer that indicates the version of the event record type.
sdc.event.creation_timestamp	Epoch timestamp when the stage created the event.

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin can generate the following types of event records:

new-file

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin generates a new-file event record when it starts processing a new file.

New-file event records have the sdc.event.type record header attribute set to new-file and include the following field:


Event Record Field	Description
filepath	Path and name of the file that the origin started or finished processing.

finished-file

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin generates a finished-file event record when it finishes processing a file.

Finished-file event records have the sdc.event.type record header attribute set to finished-file and include the following fields:


Event Record Field	Description
filepath	Path and name of the file that the origin started or finished processing.
record-count	Number of records successfully generated from the file.
error-count	Number of error records generated from the file.

no-more-data

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin generates a no-more-data event record when the origin completes processing all available records and the number of seconds configured for Batch Wait Time elapses without any new files appearing to be processed.

No-more-data event records generated by the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin have the sdc.event.type record header attribute set to no-more-data and include the following fields:


Event Record Field	Description
record-count	Number of records successfully generated since the pipeline started or since the last no-more-data event was created.
error-count	Number of error records generated since the pipeline started or since the last no-more-data event was created.
file-count	Number of files the origin attempted to process. Can include files that were unable to be processed or were not fully processed.

Post Processing

After processing files in data formats other than whole file, the SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin can keep, archive, or delete the files.

When archiving the files, the origin moves the files to the <archive>/<source> directory, where:

<archive> is the archive directory specified on the Post Processing tab. You can specify an absolute path to the archive directory or a path relative to the home directory of the user that the origin logs in as.
<source> is included when processing subdirectories. The origin creates a source directory that matches each subdirectory processed.

For example, suppose you have files in the /home/data/orders directory on a remote host. You configure the origin to read files from the /home/data directory and its subdirectories. You also configure the origin to archive processed files to the /home/archive directory. After processing the files, the origin moves the files to the /home/archive/orders directory.

Note that your choice to specify the archive directory relative to the user's home directory is independent of your choice to specify the original location of the files relative to the user's home directory.

Data Formats

The SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin processes data differently based on the data format. SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client processes the following types of data:

Avro

Generates a record for every Avro record. Includes a precision and scale field attribute for each Decimal field.

The stage includes the Avro schema in an avroSchema record header attribute. You can use one of the following methods to specify the location of the Avro schema definition:

Message/Data Includes Schema - Use the schema in the file.
In Pipeline Configuration - Use the schema that you provide in the stage configuration properties.
Confluent Schema Registry - Retrieve the schema from Confluent Schema Registry. Confluent Schema Registry is a distributed storage layer for Avro schemas. You can configure the stage to look up the schema in Confluent Schema Registry by the schema ID or subject specified in the stage configuration.

Using a schema in the stage configuration or retrieving a schema from Confluent Schema Registry overrides any schema that might be included in the file and can improve performance.

The stage reads files compressed by Avro-supported compression codecs without requiring additional configuration. To enable the stage to read files compressed by other codecs, use the compression format property in the stage.

Delimited

Generates a record for each delimited line.

The CSV parser that you choose determines the delimiter properties that you configure and how the stage handles parsing errors. You can specify if the data includes a header line and whether to use it. You can define the number of lines to skip before reading, the character set of the data, and the root field type to use for the generated record.

You can also configure the stage to replace a string constant with null values and to ignore control characters.

For more information about reading delimited data, see Reading Delimited Data.

Excel

Generates a record for every row in the file. Can process .xls or .xlsx files.

You can configure the origin to read from all sheets in a workbook or from particular sheets in a workbook. You can specify whether files include a header row and whether to ignore the header row. You can also configure the origin to skip cells that do not have a corresponding header value. A header row must be the first row of a file. Vertical header columns are not recognized.

The origin cannot process Excel files with large numbers of rows. You can save such files as CSV files in Excel, and then use the origin to process with the delimited data format.

JSON

Generates a record for each JSON object. You can process JSON files that include multiple JSON objects or a single JSON array.

When an object exceeds the maximum object length defined for the origin, the origin cannot continue processing data in the file. Records already processed from the file are passed to the pipeline. The behavior of the origin is then based on the error handling configured for the stage:

Discard - The origin continues processing with the next file, leaving the partially-processed file in the directory.
To Error - The origin continues processing with the next file. If a post-processing error directory is configured for the stage, the origin moves the partially-processed file to the error directory. Otherwise, it leaves the file in the directory.
Stop Pipeline - The origin stops the pipeline.

Log

Generates a record for every log line.

When a line exceeds the user-defined maximum line length, the origin truncates longer lines.

You can include the processed log line as a field in the record. If the log line is truncated, and you request the log line in the record, the origin includes the truncated line.

You can define the log format or type to be read.

Protobuf

Generates a record for every protobuf message.

Protobuf messages must match the specified message type and be described in the descriptor file.

When the data for a record exceeds 1 MB, the origin cannot continue processing data in the file. The origin handles the file based on file error handling properties and continues reading the next file.

For information about generating the descriptor file, see Protobuf Data Format Prerequisites.

SDC Record

Generates a record for every record. Use to process records generated by a Data Collector pipeline using the SDC Record data format.

For error records, the origin provides the original record as read from the origin in the original pipeline, as well as error information that you can use to correct the record.

When processing error records, the origin expects the error file names and contents as generated by the original pipeline.

Text

Generates a record for each line of text or for each section of text based on a custom delimiter.

When a line or section exceeds the maximum line length defined for the origin, the origin truncates it. The origin adds a boolean field named Truncated to indicate if the line was truncated.

For more information about processing text with a custom delimiter, see Text Data Format with Custom Delimiters.

Whole File

Streams whole files from the origin system to the destination system. You can specify a transfer rate or use all available resources to perform the transfer.

The origin generates two fields: one for a file reference and one for file information. For more information, see Whole File Data Format.

XML

Generates records based on a user-defined delimiter element. Use an XML element directly under the root element or define a simplified XPath expression. If you do not define a delimiter element, the origin treats the XML file as a single record.

Generated records include XML attributes and namespace declarations as fields in the record by default. You can configure the stage to include them in the record as field attributes.

You can include XPath information for each parsed XML element and XML attribute in field attributes. This also places each namespace in an xmlns record header attribute.

When a record exceeds the user-defined maximum record length, the origin cannot continue processing data in the file. Records already processed from the file are passed to the pipeline. The behavior of the origin is then based on the error handling configured for the stage:

Discard - The origin continues processing with the next file, leaving the partially-processed file in the directory.
To Error - The origin continues processing with the next file. If a post-processing error directory is configured for the stage, the origin moves the partially-processed file to the error directory. Otherwise, it leaves the file in the directory.
Stop Pipeline - The origin stops the pipeline.

Use the XML data format to process valid XML documents. For more information about XML processing, see Reading and Processing XML Data.

Tip: If you want to process invalid XML documents, you can try using the text data format with custom delimiters. For more information, see Processing XML Data with Custom Delimiters.

Configuring an SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client Origin

Configure an SFTP/FTP/FTPS Client origin to read files from an SFTP, FTP, or FTPS server.

In the Properties panel, on the General tab, configure the following properties:


General Property	Description
Name	Stage name.
Description	Optional description.
Produce Events	Generates event records when events occur. Use for event handling.
On Record Error	Error record handling for the stage: Discard - Discards the record. Send to Error - Sends the record to the pipeline for error handling. Stop Pipeline - Stops the pipeline.

On the SFTP/FTP/FTPS tab, configure the following properties:


SFTP/FTP/FTPS Property	Description
Connection	Connection that defines the information required to connect to an external system. To connect to an external system, you can select a connection that contains the details, or you can directly enter the details in the pipeline. When you select a connection, Control Hub hides other properties so that you cannot directly enter connection details in the pipeline. To create a new connection, click the Add New Connection icon: . To view and edit the details of the selected connection, click the Edit Connection icon: .
Resource URL	URL to access the remote server. Use the appropriate format: SFTP protocol: `sftp://<host name>:<port number>/<path>` FTP protocol: `ftp://<host name>:<port number>/<path>` FTPS protocol: `ftps://<host name>:<port number>/<path>` You can omit the port number from the URL if the server uses the standard port number: 22 for SFTP, or 21 for FTP or FTPS. You can optionally include the user name to log in to the SFTP, FTP, or FTPS server in the URL. For example, for the FTP protocol, you can use the following format: `ftp://<user name>:<password>@<host name>/<path>`. You can enter an email address as a user name. Note: If you enter a user name in the resource URL and configure password or private key authentication on the Credentials tab, the value entered in the URL takes precedence.
Protocol	Protocol to use to connect to the server: SFTP FTP FTPS
Process Subdirectories	Processes files in all subdirectories of the specified path.
File Name Pattern Mode	Syntax of the file name pattern: Glob Regular Expression
File Name Pattern	Pattern of the file names to process. Use glob patterns or regular expressions based on the specified file name pattern mode.
First File to Process	Name of the first file to process when you start the pipeline. Use a name that uses the file name pattern. Leave empty to read all files in the directory with the specified naming convention. When you enter a file name, the origin starts processing with the specified file. When you restart a stopped pipeline, the origin ignores this property. It starts where it left off regardless of the first file name unless you reset the origin.
Enable Proxy	Enables using a proxy to connect to the remote server.
Proxy Type	Type of proxy to use: HTTP or SOCKS.
Proxy URL	URL of the proxy.
Path Relative to User Home Directory	Interprets the path entered in the resource URL as relative to the home directory of the user that logs in to the remote server. You specify the user name in the URL or when you configure password or private key authentication on the Credentials tab.
File Processing Delay	Milliseconds to wait before processing a new file. Use this property to allow additional time after a file arrives on the server for the file to become fully written. Increase the value as needed to avoid processing partially-written files. Default is 0.
FTPS Mode	Encryption negotiation mode to use for the FTPS protocol: Implicit - Uses encryption immediately. Explicit - Uses plain FTP to connect to the server and then negotiates encryption with the server.
FTPS Data Channel Protection Level	Protection level to use for the FTPS data channel: Clear - Encrypts only communication with the server, not data sent to the server. Private - Encrypts both communication with the server and data sent to the server.
Disable Read Ahead Stream	Disables read-ahead streaming in SFTP. Consider disabling read-ahead streaming when the origin cannot read large files. However, disabling read-ahead streaming can significantly reduce performance.
Socket Timeout	Maximum number of seconds to allow between TCP packets. 0 indicates no limit.
Connection Timeout	Maximum number of seconds to allow to initiate a connection to the SFTP, FTP, or FTPS server. 0 indicates no limit.
Data Timeout	Maximum number of seconds allowed to pick a file. 0 indicates no limit.
Maximum Connection Inactivity Time	Maximum seconds of inactivity to allow before recreating connections to the SFTP, FTP, or FTPS server. 0 indicates no limit.
Max Batch Size (records)	Maximum number of records to include in a batch and send through the pipeline at one time.
Batch Wait Time (ms)	Number of milliseconds to wait before sending a partial or empty batch.

On the Credentials tab, configure the following properties:


Credentials Property	Description
Authentication	Authentication method to use to log in to the remote server: None - Does not authenticate with remote server. Password - Authenticates with the remote server using a user name and password. Private key - Authenticates with an SFTP server using a private key. Default is None.
Username	User name to log in to the remote server. Tip: To secure sensitive information such as user names and passwords, you can use runtime resources or credential stores. Available when using password or private key authentication.
Password	Password to log in to the remote server. Tip: To secure sensitive information such as user names and passwords, you can use runtime resources or credential stores. Available when using password authentication.
Private Key Provider	Source that provides the private key: File - Reads the private key from a local file. Plain-Text - Reads the private key from a plain-text field. Available when using private key authentication.
Private Key File	Full path to the local private key file used to log in to the remote server. Available when using private key authentication with a file private key provider.
Private Key	Private key used to log in to the remote server. Available when using private key authentication and providing a plain text private key.
Private Key Passphrase	Passphrase used to open the private key. Available when using private key authentication and providing a plain text private key.
Use Client Certificate for FTPS	Authenticates with the FTPS server using a client certificate. Select this option when the FTPS server requires mutual authentication. You must provide a keystore file that contains the client certificate. Available when using FTPS.
Use Remote Keystore	Enables loading the contents of the keystore from a remote credential store or from values entered in the stage properties. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
Private Key	Private key used in the remote keystore. Enter a credential function that returns the key or enter the contents of the key. For more information, see credential functions. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
Certificate Chain	Each PEM certificate used in the remote keystore. Enter a credential function that returns the certificate or enter the contents of the certificate. Using simple or bulk edit mode, click the Add icon to add additional certificates. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
FTPS Client Certificate Keystore File	Full path to the keystore file that contains the client certificate. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
FTPS Client Certificate Keystore Type	Type of keystore file that contains the client certificate. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
FTPS Client Certificate Keystore Password	Password to the keystore file that contains the client certificate. A password is optional, but recommended. Tip: To secure sensitive information such as user names and passwords, you can use runtime resources or credential stores. Available when using a client certificate for FTPS.
FTPS Truststore Provider	Method that the destination uses to authenticate the certificate from the FTPS server: Allow All - Allows any certificate, skipping authentication. File - Authenticates certificate with a specified truststore file. Remote Truststore - Authenticates certificate with a truststore file built from specified certificates. For more information, see Remote Keystore and Truststore. JVM Default - Authenticates certificate with the JVM default truststore. Available when using FTPS.
Trusted Certificates	Each PEM certificate used in the remote truststore. Enter a credential function that returns the certificate or enter the contents of the certificate. For more information, see credential functions. Using simple or bulk edit mode, click the Add icon to add additional certificates. Available when using a remote truststore as the FTPS truststore provider.
FTPS Truststore File	Full path to the truststore file that contains the server certificate. Available when using a file as the FTPS truststore provider.
FTPS Truststore Type	Type of truststore: Java Keystore file (JKS) PKCS-12 (p12 file) Available when using a file as the FTPS truststore provider.
FTPS Truststore Password	Password to the truststore file. A password is optional, but recommended. Tip: To secure sensitive information such as user names and passwords, you can use runtime resources or credential stores. Available when using a file as the FTPS truststore provider.
Strict Host Checking	Requires that the SFTP server is listed in the known hosts file. When enabled, the destination connects to the server only if the server is listed in the known hosts file. Requires the known hosts file to include an RSA key. Available when using SFTP.
Known Hosts File	Full path to the local known hosts file. Required if strict host checking is selected. Available when using strict host checking.

On the Error Handling tab, configure the following properties:


Error Handling Property	Description
Archive on Error	Downloads and archives files to a local directory when encountering errors while reading the file.
Archive Directory	Local directory to archive the files.

On the Data Format tab, configure the following property:


Data Format Property	Description
Data Format	Data format for source files. Use one of the following formats: Avro Delimited Excel JSON Log Protobuf SDC Record Text Whole File XML

For Avro data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Avro Property	Description
Avro Schema Location	Location of the Avro schema definition to use when processing data: Message/Data Includes Schema - Use the schema in the file. In Pipeline Configuration - Use the schema provided in the stage configuration. Confluent Schema Registry - Retrieve the schema from Confluent Schema Registry. Using a schema in the stage configuration or in Confluent Schema Registry can improve performance.
Avro Schema	Avro schema definition used to process the data. Overrides any existing schema definitions associated with the data. You can optionally use the `runtime:loadResource` function to load a schema definition stored in a runtime resource file.
Schema Registry URLs	Confluent Schema Registry URLs used to look up the schema. To add a URL, click Add and then enter the URL in the following format: `http://<host name>:<port number>`
Basic Auth User Info	User information needed to connect to Confluent Schema Registry when using basic authentication. Enter the key and secret from the `schema.registry.basic.auth.user.info` setting in Schema Registry using the following format: `<key>:<secret>` Tip: To secure sensitive information such as user names and passwords, you can use runtime resources or credential stores.
Lookup Schema By	Method used to look up the schema in Confluent Schema Registry: Subject - Look up the specified Avro schema subject. Schema ID - Look up the specified Avro schema ID. Overrides any existing schema definitions associated with the data.
Schema Subject	Avro schema subject to look up in Confluent Schema Registry. If the specified subject has multiple schema versions, the origin uses the latest schema version for that subject. To use an older version, find the corresponding schema ID, and then set the Look Up Schema By property to Schema ID.
Schema ID	Avro schema ID to look up in Confluent Schema Registry.

For delimited data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Delimited Property	Description
Header Line	Indicates whether a file contains a header line, and whether to use the header line.
Delimiter Format Type	Delimiter format type. Use one of the following options: Default CSV - File that includes comma-separated values. Ignores empty lines in the file. RFC4180 CSV - Comma-separated file that strictly follows RFC4180 guidelines. MS Excel CSV - Microsoft Excel comma-separated file. MySQL CSV - MySQL comma-separated file. Tab-Separated Values - File that includes tab-separated values. PostgreSQL CSV - PostgreSQL comma-separated file. PostgreSQL Text - PostgreSQL text file. Custom - File that uses user-defined delimiter, escape, and quote characters. Multi Character Delimited - File that uses multiple user-defined characters to delimit fields and lines, and single user-defined escape and quote characters. Available when using the Apache Commons parser type.
Multi Character Field Delimiter	Characters that delimit fields. Default is two pipe characters (\|\|). Available when using the Apache Commons parser with the multi-character delimiter format.
Multi Character Line Delimiter	Characters that delimit lines or records. Default is the newline character (\n). Available when using the Apache Commons parser with the multi-character delimiter format.
Delimiter Character	Delimiter character. Select one of the available options or use Other to enter a custom character. You can enter a Unicode control character using the format `\uNNNN`, where N is a hexadecimal digit from the numbers 0-9 or the letters A-F. For example, enter `\u0000` to use the null character as the delimiter or `\u2028` to use a line separator as the delimiter. Default is the pipe character ( \| ). Available when using the Apache Commons parser with a custom delimiter format.
Field Separator	One or more characters to use as delimiter characters between columns. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Escape Character	Escape character. Available when using the Apache Commons parser with the custom or multi-character delimiter format. Also available when using the Univocity parser.
Quote Character	Quote character. Available when using the Apache Commons parser with the custom or multi-character delimiter format. Also available when using the Univocity parser.
Line Separator	Line separator. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Allow Comments	Allows commented data to be ignored for custom delimiter format. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Comment Character	Character that marks a comment when comments are enabled for custom delimiter format. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Enable Comments	Allows commented data to be ignored for custom delimiter format. Available when using the Apache Commons parser.
Comment Marker	Character that marks a comment when comments are enabled for custom delimiter format. Available when using the Apache Commons parser.
Lines to Skip	Number of lines to skip before reading data.
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.
CSV Parser	Parser to use to process delimited data: Apache Commons - Provides robust parsing and a wide range of delimited format types. Univocity - Can provide faster processing for wide delimited files, such as those with over 200 columns. Default is Apache Commons.
Max Columns	Maximum number of columns to process per record. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Max Character per Column	Maximum number of characters to process in each column. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Skip Empty Lines	Allows skipping empty lines. Available when using the Univocity parser.
Allow Extra Columns	Allows processing records with more columns than exist in the header line. Available when using the Apache Commons parser to process data with a header line.
Extra Column Prefix	Prefix to use for any additional columns. Extra columns are named using the prefix and sequential increasing integers as follows: `<prefix><integer>`. For example, `_extra_1`. Default is `_extra_`. Available when using the Apache Commons parser to process data with a header line while allowing extra columns.
Max Record Length (chars)	Maximum length of a record in characters. Longer records are not read. This property can be limited by the Data Collector parser buffer size. For more information, see Maximum Record Size. Available when using the Apache Commons parser.
Ignore Empty Lines	Allows empty lines to be ignored. Available when using the Apache Commons parser with the custom delimiter format.
Root Field Type	Root field type to use: List-Map - Generates an indexed list of data. Enables you to use standard functions to process data. Use for new pipelines. List - Generates a record with an indexed list with a map for header and value. Requires the use of delimited data functions to process data. Use only to maintain pipelines created before 1.1.0.
Parse NULLs	Replaces the specified string constant with null values.
NULL Constant	String constant to replace with null values.
Charset	Character encoding of the files to be processed.
Ignore Control Characters	Removes all ASCII control characters except for the tab, line feed, and carriage return characters.

For Excel files, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Excel Property	Description
Excel Header Option	Indicates whether files include a header row and whether to ignore the header row. A header row must be the first row of a file.
Skip Cells With No Header	Skips processing cells when they do not have a corresponding header value. Available when Excel Header Option is set to With Header Line.
Include Cells With Empty Value	Includes empty cells in records.
Read All Sheets	Reads all sheets in the Excel file.
Import Sheets	Name of sheet to read. Using simple or bulk edit mode, click Add Another to add additional sheets. Available when Read All Sheets is not selected.

For JSON data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


JSON Property	Description
JSON Content	Type of JSON content. Use one of the following options: JSON array of objects Multiple JSON objects
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.
Max Object Length (chars)	Maximum number of characters in a JSON object. Longer objects are diverted to the pipeline for error handling. This property can be limited by the Data Collector parser buffer size. For more information, see Maximum Record Size.
Charset	Character encoding of the files to be processed.
Ignore Control Characters	Removes all ASCII control characters except for the tab, line feed, and carriage return characters.

For log data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Log Property	Description
Log Format	Format of the log files. Use one of the following options: Common Log Format Combined Log Format Apache Error Log Format Apache Access Log Custom Format Regular Expression Grok Pattern Log4j Common Event Format (CEF) Log Event Extended Format (LEEF)
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.
Max Line Length	Maximum length of a log line. The origin truncates longer lines. This property can be limited by the Data Collector parser buffer size. For more information, see Maximum Record Size.
Retain Original Line	Determines how to treat the original log line. Select to include the original log line as a field in the resulting record. By default, the original line is discarded.
Charset	Character encoding of the files to be processed.
Ignore Control Characters	Removes all ASCII control characters except for the tab, line feed, and carriage return characters.

When you select Apache Access Log Custom Format, use Apache log format strings to define the Custom Log Format.
When you select Regular Expression, enter the regular expression that describes the log format, and then map the fields that you want to include to each regular expression group.
When you select Grok Pattern, you can use the Grok Pattern Definition field to define custom grok patterns. You can define a pattern on each line.
In the Grok Pattern field, enter the pattern to use to parse the log. You can use a predefined grok patterns or create a custom grok pattern using patterns defined in Grok Pattern Definition.
For more information about defining grok patterns and supported grok patterns, see Defining Grok Patterns.

When you select Log4j, define the following properties:


Log4j Property	Description
On Parse Error	Determines how to handle information that cannot be parsed: Skip and Log Error - Skips reading the line and logs a stage error. Skip, No Error - Skips reading the line and does not log an error. Include as Stack Trace - Includes information that cannot be parsed as a stack trace to the previously-read log line. The information is added to the message field for the last valid log line.
Use Custom Log Format	Allows you to define a custom log format.
Custom Log4J Format	Use log4j variables to define a custom log format.

For protobuf data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Protobuf Property	Description
Protobuf Descriptor File	Descriptor file (.desc) to use. The descriptor file must be in the Data Collector resources directory, `$SDC_RESOURCES`. For more information about environment variables, see Java and Security Configuration. For information about generating the descriptor file, see Protobuf Data Format Prerequisites.
Message Type	The fully-qualified name for the message type to use when reading data. Use the following format: `<package name>.<message type>`. Use a message type defined in the descriptor file.
Delimited Messages	Indicates if a file might include more than one protobuf message.
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.

For SDC Record data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


SDC Record Property	Description
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.

For text data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Text Property	Description
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.
Max Line Length	Maximum number of characters allowed for a line. Longer lines are truncated. Adds a boolean field to the record to indicate if it was truncated. The field name is Truncated. This property can be limited by the Data Collector parser buffer size. For more information, see Maximum Record Size.
Use Custom Delimiter	Uses custom delimiters to define records instead of line breaks.
Custom Delimiter	One or more characters to use to define records.
Include Custom Delimiter	Includes delimiter characters in the record.
Charset	Character encoding of the files to be processed.
Ignore Control Characters	Removes all ASCII control characters except for the tab, line feed, and carriage return characters.

For whole files, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


Whole File Property	Description
Buffer Size (bytes)	Size of the buffer to use to transfer data.
Rate per Second	Transfer rate to use. Enter a number to specify a rate in bytes per second. Use an expression to specify a rate that uses a different unit of measure per second, e.g. ${5 * MB}. Use -1 to opt out of this property. By default, the origin does not use a transfer rate.

For XML data, on the Data Format tab, configure the following properties:


XML Property	Description
Delimiter Element	Delimiter to use to generate records. Omit a delimiter to treat the entire XML document as one record. Use one of the following: An XML element directly under the root element. Use the XML element name without surrounding angle brackets ( < > ) . For example, msg instead of <msg>. A simplified XPath expression that specifies the data to use. Use a simplified XPath expression to access data deeper in the XML document or data that requires a more complex access method. For more information about valid syntax, see Simplified XPath Syntax.
Compression Format	The compression format of the files: None - Processes only uncompressed files. Compressed File - Processes files compressed by the supported compression formats. Archive - Processes files archived by the supported archive formats. Compressed Archive - Processes files archived and compressed by the supported archive and compression formats.
File Name Pattern within Compressed Directory	For archive and compressed archive files, file name pattern that represents the files to process within the compressed directory. You can use UNIX-style wildcards, such as an asterisk or question mark. For example, .json. Default is , which processes all files.
Preserve Root Element	Includes the root element in the generated records. When omitting a delimiter to generate a single record, the root element is the root element of the XML document. When specifying a delimiter to generate multiple records, the root element is the XML element specified as the delimiter element or is the last XML element in the simplified XPath expression specified as the delimiter element.
Include Field XPaths	Includes the XPath to each parsed XML element and XML attribute in field attributes. Also includes each namespace in an xmlns record header attribute. When not selected, this information is not included in the record. By default, the property is not selected.
Namespaces	Namespace prefix and URI to use when parsing the XML document. Define namespaces when the XML element being used includes a namespace prefix or when the XPath expression includes namespaces. For information about using namespaces with an XML element, see Using XML Elements with Namespaces. For information about using namespaces with XPath expressions, see Using XPath Expressions with Namespaces. Using simple or bulk edit mode, click the Add icon to add additional namespaces.
Output Field Attributes	Includes XML attributes and namespace declarations in the record as field attributes. When not selected, XML attributes and namespace declarations are included in the record as fields. By default, the property is not selected.
Max Record Length (chars)	The maximum number of characters in a record. Longer records are diverted to the pipeline for error handling. This property can be limited by the Data Collector parser buffer size. For more information, see Maximum Record Size.
Charset	Character encoding of the files to be processed.
Ignore Control Characters	Removes all ASCII control characters except for the tab, line feed, and carriage return characters.

On the Post Processing tab, configure the following properties.

Note: This tab is disabled when you select the whole file data format. After processing a file using the whole file data format, the origin cannot archive or delete the file.


Post Processing Property	Description
File Post Processing	The action taken after processing a file: None - Keeps the file in place. Archive - Moves the file to the archive directory. Delete - Deletes the file.
Archive Directory	The directory for files that are fully processed. When you specify an archive directory, files are moved to this directory after being fully processed. Use to archive processed files.
Path Relative to User Home Directory	Select to specify an archive directory that is relative to the home directory of the user that logs in to the remote server. You specify the user name in the URL or when you configure password or private key authentication on the Credentials tab.