Informatica - Joiner Transformer

While a Source Qualifier transformation can join data originating from a common source database, the Joiner transformation joins two related heterogeneous sources residing in different locations or file systems. The combination of sources can be varied. You can use the following sources:

a) Two relational tables existing in separate databases

b) Two flat files in potentially different file systems

c) Two different ODBC sources

d) Two instances of the same XML source

e) A relational table and a flat file source

f) A relational table and an XML source

You use the Joiner transformation to join two sources with at least one matching port. The Joiner transformation uses a condition that matches one or more pairs of ports between the two sources.

For example, you might want to join a flat file with in-house customer IDs and a relational database table that contains user-defined customer IDs. You could import the flat file into a temporary database table, and then perform the join in the database. However, if you use the Joiner transformation, there is no need to import or create temporary tables.

If two relational sources contain keys, then a Source Qualifier transformation can easily join the sources on those keys. Joiner transformations typically combine information from two different sources that do not have matching keys, such as flat file sources. The Joiner transformation allows you to join sources that contain binary data.

The Joiner transformation supports the following join types, which you set in the Properties tab:

1. Normal (Default)

2. Master Outer

3. Detail Outer

4. Full Outer