Staring with Mercator

[Ananta77]

Hi,

I just started using Mercator for last couple of days, but my job requires me to pick-up it fast n start working ASAP.

Can anyone pls help me by some guidelines?

 

[BocaBurger]

What version? What platform? Take the tutorial included, then request you take IBM's training on the product.

What are your trying to do, update current maps or design new ones? EDI data? ERP, HIPAA?



BocaBurger
<===========================||////////////////|0
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword hurts more!

 

[Ananta77]

Mercator6.5

I've to design new maps to integrate almost 4 applications. I/p will be XML or CSV files or key-value pair text files.


Am going through the tutorial, but if I wanna go through each n every chapter then it'll take time.

I learned though how to create types, tree types and maps now. But would really like to have some important pointers to speed up my learning. Mostly from performance point of view.
I've to use Mercator in sync with MQSeries with optimized performance.

So If you can point me to the areas I should concentrate, will help me a lot.
Like as of now, I'm starting with Mercator --> Integration flow designer.

Sorry, but since I'm really new to this product n even concept ( Integrating apps), I might be asking very silly qs, pls pardon me for that... atleast for next couple of days... as I'll go thorugh more complicated examples, I'm sure, I'll come up with some brain burning qs.

 

[Ananta77]

ohh, platform is win2k

 

[Ananta77]

I'm getting an error in one of map, where am trying to use UNIQUE function, Error says:
Input is valid but unknown data found.


It's a simple example from tutorial. Chapter3

any help?

 

[janhes]

There's a bug in the tutorial I think. Check the input data and look at the trace file (.mtr) for the invalid data.
Version 6.5 is ancient. You'll find lots of bugs in it. You should be using at least 6.5.2 but best to move to 8.0.

 

[janhes]

I checked my version and it ran ok. Is it failing after you have done some amendments? If so check what you have done against the solution.

 

[BocaBurger]

Sounds like an extra <cr><lf> at the end of the data. 6.5.2 might soon be too old to use. If your company has a maint. contract w/IBM, you can download 8.0 and use the debugger and profiler to performance, then apply the info to an older versions. Performance tuning of the mercator.ini file is also important.



BocaBurger
<===========================||////////////////|0
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword hurts more!

 

[Ananta77]

I'm going through design doc and was following the steps to create the maps.
If I run tutorial source code, it runs fine.

But the map I created gives error. Is there any way to debug the program in Mercator?

I'll be asking for my company to go for Mercator8 soon.

But before that, I want to get some hands on mercator.

Thanks you for all your help.

 

[janhes]

In Map Designer, right click on the map name, select Settings, select Map TRace, select Content, select Switch and change to ON.
OK that and recompile your map. When you run it it will produce a file called mapname.mtr in the map folder. This contains a trace of the input and output data.
If you go to the end of the file it should say what the unknown data is.
If I remember rightly, the tutorial says to add a terminator to something that it shouldn't such as file.

 

[janhes]

If you're going to use mainly XML you need to go to vn 8 as the type trees for xml schema are much simpler in this version. 6.5 was a pain for xml, especially tracing errors.
You need to understand the trace file though as you will be using complex data structures.
To import xml schema into 6.5 type tree, I believe you need to get patchs mib651_spatch_12530_win.exe and spatch_xmlschema6511_nonintl.exe. I believe these are included in the 6.5.2 service pack.

 

[Ananta77]

Sorry, but it didn't create .mtr file for the map I created. But it did for the example which I directly copied from tutorial.

I might be missing on something... checking that
now.

 

[BocaBurger]

Saving and re-building the map after changes?



BocaBurger
<===========================||////////////////|0
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword hurts more!

 

[Ananta77]

suprisingly, it's not creating trace file for the map I've builded.

for such error, where I shud be looking?

 

[Ananta77]

Yeah, I did all.... save, re-build.
Even closed the studio n reopened to make sure chnages are saved.

Tried mentioning custom file path for trace file to be generated.

 

[BocaBurger]

Turn on audit log. Send map. tree and input to support after opening issue.



BocaBurger
<===========================||////////////////|0
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword hurts more!

 

[Ananta77]

I recreated the whole type design,type tree n map... it shows now.. but still not sure what was the issue.

 

[janhes]

So do you still get the Input valid but unknown data found?

 

[Ananta77]

That error is rectified and it's working fine now. Thanks all for your help.