Text File

This generator pulls data from a text file (*.txt, *.csv, etc).

How to configure this generator to use text file content:

  • Random values
    • Randomly generate values from a text file.
    • File. Specify the source of the text file. Use the Browse… button to select a file.
    • Column. Specify the column id to use (in case of a character delimited file, ex: *.csv)
    • Column delimiter. The character that separate each column in the text file.
    • First/Last rows. Specify the rows to get data.
    • Between character position. Will only use characters that are within the specified positions.
    • Restrict to values between. Will only use values that are within the specified limits.
    • Include random blanks. Allowing random blanks will mean that you generate empty strings among the values for use in the field or data type.
  • Sequential list
    • Generate a sequence of value from a text file starting with the first row.
    • File. Specify the source of the text file. Use the Browse… button to select a file.
    • Column. Specify the column id to use (in case of a character delimited file, ex: *.csv)
    • Column delimiter. The character that separate each column in the text file.
    • First/Last rows. Specify the rows to get data.
    • Between character position. Will only use characters that are within the specified positions.
    • Restrict to values between. Will only use values that are within the specified limits.
    • Start new line. Always start with the first row in the text file.
    • Continue from previous list. If you run the De-Identication and it ends with the 13th entry, next time, it will start with the 14th one.

Note: If more than one field is configured using the same text file, the same line will be used within the same message. In other words, you can use a text file to ensure several values will be used together. This can be useful when linking a a city with a zip code or a first name with a gender.

The examples below use the following content in a file C:MyDocumentsmyFile.txt

1,Road Runner,M,ACME,Anycity,12345
2,The Coyote,M,ACME,Anycity,12345
3,Sylvester The Cat,M,ACME,Anycity,12345
4,Tweety Bird,M,ACME,Anycity,12345
5,John Smith,M,,Anothercity,98765
6,Jane Doe,F,,Anothercity,98765

 

Example #1: Generated Values
  • Random values
  • File: C:MyDocumentsmyFile.txt
  • Column: 2
  • Delimiter: ,
  • Restrict to values between: 1 and 20 characters
  • Include random blanks: Unchecked
John Smith
Jane Doe
Road Runner
The Coyote
Tweety Bird
Example #2: Generated Values
  • Sequential list
  • File: C:MyDocumentsmyFile.txt
  • Column: 3
  • Delimiter: ,
  • Restrict to values between: 1 and 20 characters
  • Start new list
M
M
M
M
M
F