The Item tags are used to define each attribute of the source data. There must be one defined Item tag for each attribute used to define a reference located in the source data including one for the reference identifier.

The Item tag has three different formats. These formats are directed by the value assigned to the Type attribute discussed previously in the <Source> Tag section.

3.5.1 Delimited Text Items

#!xml

<Item Name="item 1" Attribute="RID" Pos="0"/>

The Item tag has three attributes when defining an attribute in a delimited text file.

• Name - User defined value that names the attribute

• Attribute - values must correspond directly to the Item values in the OysterAttributes.xml file

  • OYSTER Keywords

    • @RefID - is used to inform OYSTER what field in the data is the unique keyed field
    • NOTE: All RefIDs in the source file MUST be unique.
    • @Skip - is used to skip data that may appear in the file but will not be used for integration.
    • @AssertRefToRef - is used when performing a Reference to Reference assertion run. This keyword implies that the input references which have same value of @AssertRefToRef must be grouped together to a new output identity with a new OYSTER ID
    • @AssertRefToStr - is used when performing a Reference to Structure assertion run. This keyword informs OYSTER that the reference should be merged into the structure that matches the OYSTER ID identified by the @AssertRefToStr tag. OYSTER will ignore all defined rules.
    • @OID - Identifies valid OYSTER IDs in an input file that will, when used in conjunction with @AsserStrToStr, cause the OYSTER IDs to consolidate into a single OYSTER ID.

    • @AssertStrToStr - is used when performing a Structure to Structure assertion run. This keyword informs OYSTER that it should ignore all defined rules and force matches on structures (Previously resolved Identities) that have been assigned like numbers for this attribute.

      a. Must be used in conjunction with @OID
      

      

    • @RID - The value of @RID must be a valid reference ID in an existing OYSTER identity structure. The Reference IDs of @RID which have same value of @AssertSplitStr must be split from original identity into a new OYSTER identity with a new OYSTER ID.

    • @AssertSplitStr - is used when performing a Split Structure assertion run. This keyword informs OYSTER that it should ignore all defined rules and force a split on structures that have been assigned like numbers for this attribute.

      a.Must be used in conjunction with @RID
      

      

• Pos - value is used to specify the location of the item in the source file

  • Pos counting starts from the left most delimited attribute.
  • Pos numbering starts at 0

3.5.2 Fixed Width Items

#!xml

<Item Name="item 2" Attribute="Attr 1" Start="10" End="11"/>

The Item tag has four attributes when defining an attribute in a fixed width text file.

• Name - User defined value that names the attribute
• Attribute - values must correspond directly to the Item values in the OysterAttributes.xml file
  • See previous section for full list of OYSTER Keywords
• Start - used to specify the location of the first character in the fixed width item in the source file
• End - used to specify the location of the last character in the fixed width item in the source file

3.5.3 Database Items

#!xml

<Item Name="item 3" Attribute="Attr 2" />

The Item tag has two attributes when defining an attribute in a database table.

• Name
  • Must be assigned a value equal to the column name in the table in which the attribute is stored
  • Used to build the SQL Select statement used by OYSTER to fetch the references from the source database.
  • Used in the Matching Rules section when building the rules

• Attribute - value must correspond directly to the corresponding Item value in the OysterAttributes.xml file.

  • See previous section for full list of OYSTER Keywords

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