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The Search and Replace action searches for text or characters in a specified source and replaces it with the provided content.

You can configure the following properties for the Search and Replace action:

Action

• Name: Specifies the name of the action. If desired, you can replace the default name by typing a new name in the field.

• Description: Allows you to save a description for the action.

• Run Action: Allows you to specify how often you want to run the action.

  • Always: Specifies that the Integration Service will run the action each time it runs the integration.

  • Never: Specifies that the Integration Service will not run the action when it runs the integration.

  • Conditionally, based on variable: Specifies that the Integration Service will run the action only when a selected variable meets a specified condition. Use this option in situations where there is only one condition that determines whether or not the action will run. Once you have enabled this option, you can create the conditional statement in the input box provided.

    Input box controls

    • Variable: Enter the variable that you want to use for the conditional statement. Alternatively, you can add a variable for the conditional statement value.

    • [Relational Operator]: Specifies the relational operator to use for the conditional statement. Click the existing operator to open a list of additional operators, and select the one you want to use. For more information, refer to Relational Operators. The operators available in the list depend on whether you have selected Text or Decimal for the Type option.

    • Value: Specifies the value(s) to use for the conditional statement. Some operators, such as Is null and Is not null, do not require a value to be specified. In these situations, the Value field is not available.

    • Type: Specifies whether the conditional statement is evaluating a text or decimal value.

       

  • Conditionally, based on expression: Specifies the conditions under which the Integration Service will run the action. Use this option for situations that require more than one conditional statement. Once you have enabled this option, you can create the conditional expression in the input box provided by creating the desired conditional statements. You create and edit your conditional expression on the Tree View tab. Click the Text View tab to see a read-only text view of the conditional expression.

    Input box controls (Tree View tab)

    • [Conditional Joiner]: Specifies the conditional joiner for the conditional statements within the group. The default conditional joiner is And.

      Click the existing conditional joiner to access a menu that allows you to configure your conditional expression in one of the following ways:

      • Select a different conditional joiner: The menu options include a list of conditional joiners. Select the conditional joiner you want to use for the conditional statements. For more information about the supported conditional joiners, see Conditional Joiners.

      • Add Condition: Click to add another conditional statement to the current group.

      • Add Group: Click to add a sub-group of conditional statements to the current group.

      • Remove Group: Available in the menu when the menu has been opened from a sub-group. Click to delete the sub-group.

      • Clear All: Available in the menu when the menu has been opened from the top-most group. Click to delete all conditional statements (including sub-groups).

    • : Visible just to the right of each conditional joiner in your expression. Click to add a conditional statement to the group associated with that joiner.

    • :  Visible when you position the cursor over an existing conditional statement. Click to delete the conditional statement.

    • Variable: Enter the variable that you want to use for the conditional statement. Alternatively, you can add a variable for the conditional statement.

    • [Relational Operator]: Specifies the relational operator to use for the conditional statement. Click the existing operator to open a list of additional operators, and select the one you want to use. For more information, refer to Relational Operators. The operators available in the list depend on whether you have selected Text or Decimal for the Type option.

    • Value: Specifies the value(s) to use for the conditional statement. Some operators, such as Is null and Is not null do not require a value to be specified. In these situations, the Value field will be hidden.

    • Type: Specifies whether the conditional statement is evaluating a text or decimal value.

Source

• Source: Specifies the source for the data on which you want to perform the action.

  • Embedded Template:

    • Value: Use the input box provided to enter the data you want the action to use. Alternatively, you can add a variable to specify the data, or add a special character to the value you have entered.

    • Import: Opens the Open File dialog so that you can browse to and select a file containing the desired data. The contents of the file are imported into the Value input box.

    • Export: Opens the Save File dialog so that you can save the contents of the Value input box as an external file. You can save the value as a new file, or replace the contents of an existing file.

  • Variable:

    • Variable: Type the variable that you want to use for the source. Alternatively, you can add a variable.

  • External File:

    • Location: Specifies the file system where the source folder exists. File systems or locations can include local file systems or network shares, Librarian, or a supported cloud storage location. For more information about supported cloud storage locations, see Administration Console's Cloud Storage Page.

    • File Name: Specifies the file path. You can type the folder location and file name or click Browse to locate and select the desired file. Alternatively, you can add a variable to specify the desired file, or add a special character to the value you have entered.

    • File Encoding: Specifies the encoding used by the source file.

Options

• Search for: Specifies the text or characters you want to search for in the source. Alternatively, you can add a variable to specify your search term, or add a special character to the value you have entered. You also have the option of using a regular expression or wildcard modifier to make your search more specific.

• Search Method: Specifies the method to use for performing the search:

• Literal: Searches for only text you enter.

• Use Wildcards (* and ?): Search using wildcard characters to expand or refine your search.

• Use Regular Expression: Search using regular expressions to expand or refine your search.

• Search text contains variables: When enabled, specifies that the search text contains one or more variables, in which case the variables are processed in the search text prior to the operation.

• Replace with: Specifies the text or characters you want to replace the search text or characters with. Enter the desired replacement content. Alternatively, you can add a variable to specify the replacement content, or add a special character to the value you have entered.

• All occurrences: When enabled, all instances of the search text or characters found will be replaced.

• First occurrence only: When enabled, only the first instance of the search text or characters found will be replaced.

• First {#} occurrences: When enabled, the specified number of instances of the search text or characters found (in the order found) will be replaced.

• Replacement text contains variables: When enabled, specifies that the replacement text contains one or more variables, in which case the variables are processed in the replace text prior to the operation.

Output

• Save output to variable: Specifies the variable to which you want to save the output of the action. Enter the desired variable. Alternatively, you can add a variable.

Test Search and Replace

• Test: Runs the action. The Message pane displays information on the success or failure of the action.

  Clicking the Test button executes the action only and does not run the integration. Therefore the action will run without any data from the integration that you may have configured it to use. For information on testing your integration, refer to Using the Test Pane.

User Account

• Inherit from parent action: When enabled, the action inherits the user account credentials specified on the Actions property page. Alternatively, if the action is part of a Group action, it will inherit the user account credentials specified on the immediate parent Group action’s property page.

• Specify user credentials: When enabled, the action runs using the credentials specified.

Error Handling and Diagnostics

• Ignore errors and continue running actions: When enabled, specifies that if the action fails, the remaining actions will continue to run.

  When this property is not enabled and the action fails, the resulting behavior depends on the following scenarios:  If you have specified Sequentially for the Execute Actions property of the selected action's hierarchical Actions or Group property page, no further actions within that group are executed. If you have specified In Parallel for the Execute Actions property of the action's hierarchical Actions or Group property page, the actions within that same group are not affected; the errors are ignored and the other actions within the group are executed. If the selected action is within a Group action, no actions outside of that Group action are affected.

• Retry if failed: When enabled, specifies that if the action fails, the Integration Service will try to run it again.

• Maximum retries: Specifies the maximum number of times the Integration Service will try to run the action again. Available when Retry if failed is enabled.

• Retry interval: Specifies the amount of time the Integration Service will wait after the action has failed before trying to run the action again. Available when Retry if failed is enabled.