Version

    ExtSort

    Short Description
    Ports
    Metadata
    ExtSort Attributes
    Details
    Examples
    See also

    Short Description

    ExtSort sorts input records according to a sort key.

    ComponentSame input metadataSorted inputsInputsOutputsJavaCTLAuto-propagated metadata
    ExtSort-
    no
    11-N--
    yes

    Ports

    Port typeNumberRequiredDescriptionMetadata
    Input0
    yes
    for input data recordsthe same input and output metadata
    Output0
    yes
    for sorted data records
    1-N
    no
    for sorted data records

    This component has one input port and at least one output port.

    If more output ports are connected, ExtSort sends each record to all connected output ports.

    Metadata

    Metadata can be propagated through this component. All output metadata must be same as the input metadata. ExtSort does not change metadata.

    ExtSort Attributes

    AttributeReqDescriptionPossible values
    Basic
    Sort key
    yes
    Key according to which the records are sorted. For more information, see Sort Key.name(a);age(d)
    Advanced
    Buffer capacity 

    The maximum number of records parsed in memory. If there are more input records than this number, external sorting is performed.

    8000 (default) | 1-N
    Number of tapes The number of temporary files used to perform external sorting. Even number higher than 2.6 (default) | 2*(1-N)
    Deprecated
    Sort order 

    Order of sorting (Ascending or Descending). Can be denoted by the first letter (A or D) only. Same for all key fields.

    Ascending (default) | Descending
    Sorting locale Locale that should be used for sorting.none (default) | any locale
    Case sensitive 

    In the default setting of Case sensitive (true), upper-case and lower-case characters are sorted as distinct characters. Lower-cases precede corresponding upper-cases. If Case sensitive is set to false, upper-case characters and lower-case characters are sorted as if they were identical.

    The Case sensitive attribute value is taken into account only if Locale is set.

    true (default) | false
    Sorter initial capacity does the same as Buffer capacity8000 (default) | 1-N

    Details

    ExtSort receives data records through the single input port, sorts them according to a specified sort key and copies each of them to all connected output ports.

    The Sort key is defined by one or more input fields and the sorting order (ascending or descending) for each field. The resulting sequence also depends on the key field type: string fields are sorted in ASCIIbetical order while other fields are sorted alphabetically.

    Sorting Null Values

    In ascending order, null values are sorted before strings, numbers, booleans or dates. If you sort data in descending order, null values are sorted after strings, numbers, booleans or dates.

    Remember that ExtSort processes records in which the same fields of the Sort key attribute have null values as if these nulls were equal.

    Examples

    Sorting according to a single field
    Sorting according to multiple fields
    Sorting with locale

    Sorting according to a single field

    This example shows the basic usage of ExtSort.

    Input records contains file names and their size. Sort the files according to their size starting with the biggest one.

    Input records

    file.txt  |    2048
    file.docx | 1048576
    file.xml  |   65536
    Solution

    In ExSort, set Sort key attribute: drag the field name from the left list to the right one and change Order to Descending.

    AttributeValue
    Sort keyFileSize(d)

    The result would be:

    file.docx | 1048576
    file.xml  |   65536
    file.txt  |    2048

    Sorting according to multiple fields

    This example shows sorting values according to a multiple-part key.

    Each record contains first name, last name and year of birth. Sort the records according to all three fields. Sort the records according to last name and first name in ascending order. If there are more records with the same first and last name, the youngest one should be the first.

    Jane | Doe | 1843
    John | Doe | 1798
    John | Doe | 1859
    Solution

    Set the Sort key attribute. In the dialog to define the key. The first part of the key (last name) should be on the top of the list on the right side. The first name should be the second and the year of birth should be the last one.

    AttributeValue
    Sort keySurname(a);FirstName(a);YearOfBirth(d)

    The result would be:

    Jane | Doe | 1843
    John | Doe | 1859
    John | Doe | 1798

    Sorting with locale

    This example shows sorting records with locale.

    Input records contains a list of French words. Sort the words according to the French collation.

    parler
    être
    aller
    Solution

    In ExtSort, set Sort key and Sorting locale attributes.

    AttributeValue
    Sort keyWord(a);
    Sorting localefr.FR

    The result will be:

    aller
    être
    parler

    Without the proper sorting locale, the result would be aller, parler, être.