Runtime Values
Runtime values are values that you define outside of the pipeline and use for stage and pipeline properties. You can change the values for each pipeline run without having to edit the pipeline.
You can use runtime values for any pipeline property that allows the use of the expression language. You can, for example, use runtime values to represent batch sizes, timeouts, directories, and URI. You cannot use runtime values to represent fields.
You can use the following methods of passing runtime values to pipelines:
- Runtime parameters
- Use runtime parameters when you want to define runtime values for a single pipeline.
- Runtime properties
- Use runtime properties when you want to define values for multiple pipeline properties in a single file.
- Runtime resources
- Use runtime resources when you want to store common pipeline configuration properties in files with restricted permissions.
Runtime Parameters
Runtime parameters are parameters that you define in a pipeline and then call from within the same pipeline. When the pipeline runs, the value replaces the name of the runtime parameter. Use runtime parameters to define values for stage and pipeline properties.
When you start the
pipeline, you can override the parameter values defined in the pipeline. For example,
you can define a directory
parameter that points to a directory on a
production system and override it during testing to point to a directory on a test
system.
- Define runtime parameters.
- Use an expression in the pipeline to call a runtime parameter.
Step 1. Define a Runtime Parameter
Step 2. Call the Runtime Parameter
Use an expression in the pipeline to call a runtime parameter.
You can use runtime parameters to represent any stage or pipeline property that allows the use of the StreamSets expression language, including properties that display as text boxes, checkboxes, drop-down menus, or lists. You can also call a runtime parameter in the code developed for a scripting processor.
If you call a runtime parameter from a property that conditionally displays child properties, all child properties display so that you can configure valid values for all dependent properties.
Calling from Text Boxes
${<parameter name>}
JDBCConnectionString
runtime parameter with the
JDBC Table origin, enter the following syntax for the JDBC Connection String
property:${JDBCConnectionString}
KerberosKeytab
runtime
parameter: ${base64:decodeBytes(KerberosKeytab)}
RootDir
runtime parameter and append the rest of the directory in
the property as follows:${RootDir}/logfiles
Calling from Checkboxes and Drop-Down Menus
To call a runtime parameter in a stage or pipeline property that displays as a checkbox or drop-down menu, you first must convert the property to a text box.

${<parameter name>}
For example, the following image shows the Lookup Behavior property in the Delta Lake
Lookup processor. Though it usually displays as a drop-down menu, it was converted to a
text box to call the lookupReturn
runtime parameter:
- Checkboxes
- Parameters called from properties that display as checkboxes must evaluate to true or false.
- Drop-down menus
- Parameters called from properties that display as drop-down menus must evaluate to a valid key value. Each option in the menu has an associated key value.
Calling from Lists
To call a runtime parameter in a stage or pipeline property that displays as a list of values or a list of key-value pairs, you first must convert the property to a text box.

${<parameter name>}
For example, the following image shows that the Email IDs property that displays as a list of values has been converted to a text box so that a parameter can be called from the property:
- List of values
- Parameters called from properties that display as a list of values must
evaluate to a JSON string in the following
format:
[ "<value1>", "<value2>" ]
- List of key-value pairs
- Parameters called from properties that display as a list of key-value pairs
must evaluate to a JSON string in the following
format:
[ { "<key1>": "<value1>", "<key2>": "<value2>" }, { "<key3>": "<value3>", "<key4>": "<value4>" } ]
To view the valid JSON string for a list, configure the list with the desired values, and then switch to bulk edit mode.
For example, to define a runtime parameter for the Email IDs list on the pipeline Notifications tab, configure the list with the desired values:
Then, click Bulk Edit Mode to display the valid property value in JSON format, as follows:
Use the bulk edit mode value to define the parameter value on the pipeline Parameters tab, as follows:
Calling from Scripting Processors
${<parameter name>}
Configuring Dependent Properties
Some pipeline and stage properties conditionally display child properties. For example, if you configure an origin to use the Text data format, the origin displays a set of Text configuration properties. If you configure that origin to use the Delimited data format, it displays a different set of Delimited configuration properties.
However, if you use a runtime parameter to define a parent property, all child properties display so that you can configure valid values for all dependent properties.
For example, if you convert the Data Format drop-down menu to a text box and then call
the dataformat
parameter using the required syntax, the origin displays
all of the Text and Delimited configuration properties:
Runtime Properties
Runtime properties are properties that you define in an external location and call from within a pipeline. Use runtime properties to define values for stage and pipeline properties.
Runtime properties allow you to easily update the property definitions without editing the pipeline. You can also define different sets of definitions for different deployments.
For example, you might define a set of runtime properties that points to test systems for pipeline development. When you move to production, you simply update the runtime property definitions in the file. This effectively updates every pipeline that uses those runtime properties without having to edit the pipelines.
When defining a runtime property, you can use a static value or an environment variable.
When calling a runtime property, you can use it as part of a larger property definition. For example, you can set a runtime property to the HOME environment variable, which would differ on different machines, and then call the runtime property as a base directory for a longer directory.
- Define runtime properties.
- Use an expression in the pipeline to call a runtime property.
Step 1. Define Runtime Properties
You can define runtime properties in the Transformer configuration properties or in a separate runtime properties file:
- Transformer configuration properties
- Use the following steps to define runtime properties in the Transformer
configuration properties:
- In Control Hub, edit the deployment. In the
Configure Engine section, click Advanced
Configuration. Then, click Transformer
Configuration. Configure the
runtime.conf.location property as
follows:
runtime.conf.location=embedded
- To define the runtime properties in the Transformer
configuration properties, use either of the following formats:
- To define a static value for a runtime property, use the
following format:
For example, the following runtime property defines an Amazon S3 bucket:runtime.conf_<property name>=<value>
runtime.conf_S3bucket=EUsales
- To define an environment variable for a runtime property,
use the following
format:
runtime.conf_<property name>=${env("<environment_variable>")}
For example, the following runtime property defines a base directory, setting it to the HOME environment variable:runtime.conf_BaseDir=${env("HOME")}
- To define a static value for a runtime property, use the
following format:
- Save the changes to the deployment and restart all engine instances.
- In Control Hub, edit the deployment. In the
Configure Engine section, click Advanced
Configuration. Then, click Transformer
Configuration. Configure the
runtime.conf.location property as
follows:
- Separate runtime properties file
- Use the following steps to define runtime properties in a separate runtime
properties file:
- Create a text file and then use either of the
following formats to define the runtime properties:
- To define a static value for a runtime property, use the
following format:
For example, the following runtime property defines an Amazon S3 bucket:<property name>=<value>
S3bucket=EUsales
- To define an environment variable for a runtime property,
use the following
format:
<property name>=${env("<environment_variable>")}
For example, the following runtime property defines a base directory, setting it to the HOME environment variable:BaseDir=${env("HOME")}
- To define a static value for a runtime property, use the
following format:
- In Control Hub, upload the file as an external resource for the engine.
- In Control Hub, edit the deployment. In the Configure Engine section, click Advanced Configuration. Then, click Transformer Configuration. Configure the runtime.conf.location property to point to the name of the separate runtime properties file.
- Save the changes to the deployment and restart all engine instances.
- Create a text file and then use either of the
following formats to define the runtime properties:
Step 2. Call the Runtime Property
Use the runtime:conf
function to call a runtime property. You
can use runtime properties to represent any stage or pipeline property that allows the
use of the expression language.
${runtime:conf(<property name>)}
ADLS_SAcct
runtime property to provide the
storage account for an ADLS Gen1 origin, enter the following syntax for the Storage
Account stage property:${runtime:conf('ADLS_SAcct')}
S3bucket
runtime property, enter the following syntax for the
Amazon S3 Bucket property:s3a://${runtime:conf('S3bucket')}/
Runtime Resources
Similar to runtime properties, runtime resources are values that you define in an external file and call from within a pipeline. But with runtime resources, you can restrict the permissions for the files to secure information.
Use runtime resources to store common configuration properties for multiple pipelines, like URLs for external systems. Note that any user who can create a pipeline can access the data stored in the resource files.
- Define each runtime resource.
- Use an expression in the pipeline to call a runtime resource.
Step 1. Define Runtime Resources
- For each resource, create a text file.
A file must contain one piece of information to be used when the resource is called.
- Optionally, restrict the permissions for the file.
Generally, anyone can read a file. To restrict permissions, configure the file so only the owner has read or write permissions for the file - in octals, that's 600 or 400. And the owner must be the system user that runs Transformer.
When you use the resource in the pipeline, you specify whether the file is restricted.
- In Control Hub, upload the file as an external resource for the engine.
Step 2. Call Runtime Resources
runtime:loadResource
or
runtime:loadResourceRaw
function to call a runtime
resource. You can use runtime resources to represent information in any stage or
pipeline property that allows the use of the StreamSets expression language. runtime:loadResource
function which trims any leading or
trailing whitespace characters from the file. However, if needed, you can also use
the runtime:loadResourceRaw
function which includes any leading or
trailing whitespace characters in the file.To call a runtime resource, use the following syntax:
${runtime:loadResource(<file name>, <restricted: true | false>)}
JDBC.txt
file, trimming any leading or trailing whitespace
characters. The file contains a connection string and is restricted so only the owner
can read the file:${runtime:loadResource("JDBC.txt", true)}