Serializer in Data Transformation in Informatica - XML File to Comma Delimited Flatfile

Serializer is opposite to parser - it converts XML to other formats like Microsoft Excel, text document or an HTML document. You can create a Serializer in two ways - Invert the configuration of an existing Parser or Edit the Script and insert the Serializer component. It is usually easier to create a Serializer than a Parser because the XML is completely structured. The structure makes it easy to identify the required data and write it, in a sequential procedure, to the output.

Serializer contains anchors that are analogous to the anchors that we use in the parser, but work in opposite direction. Serialization anchors read XML data and write the data to locations in the output document. The most important serialization anchors are ContentSerializer and StringSerializer.

ContentSerializer writes the content of a specified data holder to the output document. It is the inverse of a Content anchor, which reads content from a source document.

StringSerializer writes a predefined string to the output. It is the inverse of a Marker anchor, which finds a predefined string in a source document.

Serializer executes the serialization anchors in the sequence of their definitions. Serialization anchors write data sequentially, always appending it to the end of the output document.

In this Blog, We will convert a flat file in XML format to comma delimited flat file. The XML file that we use as example source is given below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?>
<EmpPdf>
<FirstName>Chris</FirstName>
<LastName>Boyd</LastName>
<Department>HR</Department>
<StartDate>2009-10-11</StartDate>
</EmpPdf>

The XSD is same as we used in the Parser.  In the Serializer, we will use the output of the Parser(XML file) as source and convert it to Comma Delimited Flatfile.

If you have  any questions, feel free to leave comments on this page and I would get back as soon as I can.