We have started using ascential, I went through a training session some months back. It seems that there is powerfull graphical and GUI manipulation for ETL transforms and the like, but not much in the way to easily manipulate jobs using something like OLE or though XML. At least that is my impression. I had asked the instructor about OLE, he said it wasn't available, though perhaps they are thinking about it. What about IBM Websphere ?
An example of OLE, is that using Perl Scripts I can automatically import or export hundreds of comma seperated text files into or out of MS xcel, change the column sizes and layout info for each one without ever opening xcel manually by hand. There is an OLE available for Xcel, MS Word, Lotus Notes, and various other applications. It seems concievable there could be a way to do something similar with XML files since ascential can import/export those, but there is no clear way outlined that I have seen documented etc. I have come accross websites that mention XMI in relation to Websphere. Does websphere use XML tools of some kind ? I imagine we will we have to go to Websphere eventually if we continue to use Ascential ?
We create quite a few ascential jobs, and it seems from talking to some of the people that have started using ascential, that an automated method such as what I have described could be advantagous.
thanks