Astera Data Stack
Version 9
Version 9
  • Welcome to Astera Data Stack Documentation
  • Release Notes
    • Astera 9.0 - Release Notes
  • Setting Up
    • System Requirements
    • Product Architecture
    • Installing Client and Server Applications
    • Connecting to a Astera Server using Lean Client
    • How to Connect to a Different Astera Server from the Lean Client
    • How to Set up a Server Certificate (.pfx) File in a New Environment
    • How to Build a Cluster Database and Create a Repository
    • How to Login from Lean Client
    • Licensing Model in Astera 9
    • User Roles and Access Control
    • Offline Activation of Astera Data Stack
  • Dataflows
    • Sources
      • Data Providers and File Formats Supported in Astera Data Stack
      • Setting Up Sources
      • Excel Workbook Source
      • COBOL File Source
      • Database Table Source
      • Delimited File Source
      • File System Items Source
      • Fixed Length File Source
      • Email Source
      • Report Source
      • SQL Query Source
      • XML/JSON File Source
      • PDF Form Source
    • Transformations
      • Introducing Transformations
      • Aggregate Transformation
      • Constant Value Transformation
      • Denormalize Transformation
      • Distinct Transformation
      • Expression Transformation
      • Filter Transformation
      • Join Transformation
      • List Lookup Transformation
      • Merge Transformation
      • Normalize Transformation
      • Passthru Transformation
      • Reconcile Transformation
      • Route Transformation
      • Sequence Generator
      • Sort Transformation
      • Sources as Transformations
      • Subflow Transformation
      • Switch Transformation
      • Tree Join Transformation
      • Tree Transform
      • Union Transformation
      • Data Cleanse Transformation
      • File Lookup Transformation
      • SQL Statement Lookup
      • Database Lookup
    • Destinations
      • Setting Up Destinations
      • Database Table Destination
      • Delimited File Destination
      • Excel Workbook Destination
      • Fixed Length File Destination
      • SQL Statement Destination
      • XML File Destination
    • Data Logging and Profiling
      • Creating Data Profile
      • Creating Field Profile
      • Data Quality Mode
      • Using Data Quality Rules in Astera
      • Record Level Log
    • Database Write Strategies
      • Data Driven
      • Source Diff Processor
      • Database Diff Processor
      • Dimension Loader - Database Write
    • Text Processors
      • Delimited Parser
      • Delimited Serializer
      • Language Parser
      • Fixed Length Parser
      • Fixed Length Serializer
      • XML/JSON Parser
      • XML JSON Serializer
    • Visualizations
      • Basic Plots
      • Distribution Plots
  • Workflows
    • What are Workflows?
    • Creating Workflows in Astera
    • Decision Task
    • EDI Acknowledgment Task
    • File System Task
    • File Transfer Task
    • OR Task
    • Run Dataflow Task
    • Run Program Task
    • Run SQL File Task
    • Run SQL Script Task
    • Run Workflow Task
    • Send Mail Task
    • Workflows with a Dynamic Destination Path
    • Customizing Workflows With Parameters
    • GPG-Integrated File Decryption in Astera
  • Subflows
    • Using Subflows in Astera
  • DATA MODEL
    • Creating a Data Warehousing Project
    • Data Models
      • Introducing Data Models
      • Opening a New Data Model
      • Data Modeler - UI Walkthrough
      • Reverse Engineering an Existing Database
      • Creating a Data Model from Scratch
      • General Entity Properties
      • Creating and Editing Relationships
      • Forward Engineering
      • Verifying a Data Model
    • Dimensional Modelling
      • Introducing Dimensional Models
      • Converting a Data Model to a Dimensional Model
      • Fact Entities
      • Dimension Entities
      • Date and Time Dimension
      • Verifying a Dimensional Model
    • Documentation
      • Generating Technical and Business Documentation for Data Models
      • Lineage and Impact Analysis
    • Deployment and Usage
      • Deploying a Data Model
      • Validate Metadata and Data Integrity
      • Using Astera Data Models in ETL Pipelines
      • Connecting an Astera Data Model to a Third Party Visualization Tool
  • Functions
    • Introducing Function Transformations
    • Custom Functions
    • Logical
      • Coalesce (Any value1, Any value2)
      • IsNotNull (AnyValue)
      • IsRealNumber (AnyValue)
      • IsValidSqlDate (Date)
      • IsDate (AnyValue)
      • If (Boolean)
      • If (DateTime)
      • If (Double)
      • Exists
      • If (Int64)
      • If (String)
      • IsDate (str, strformat)
      • IsInteger (AnyValue)
      • IsNullOrWhitespace (StringValue)
      • IsNullorEmpty (StringValue)
      • IsNull (AnyValue)
      • IsNumeric (AnyValue)
    • Conversion
      • GetDateComponents (DateWithOffset)
      • ParseDate (Formats, Str)
      • GetDateComponents (Date)
      • HexToInteger (Any Value)
      • ToInteger (Any value)
      • ToDecimal (Any value)
      • ToReal (Any value)
      • ToDate (String dateStr)
      • TryParseDate (String, UnknownDate)
      • ToString (Any value)
      • ToString (DateValue)
      • ToString (Any data, String format)
    • Math
      • Abs (Double)
      • Abs (Decimal)
      • Ceiling (Real)
      • Ceiling(Decimal)
      • Floor (Decimal)
      • Floor (Real)
      • Max (Decimal)
      • Max (Date)
      • Min (Decimal)
      • Min (Date)
      • Max (Real)
      • Max (Integer)
      • Min (Real)
      • Pow (BaseExponent)
      • Min (Integer)
      • RandomReal (Int)
      • Round (Real)
      • Round (Real Integer)
      • Round (Decimal Integer)
      • Round (Decimal)
    • Financial
      • DDB
      • FV
      • IPmt
      • IPmt (FV)
      • Pmt
      • Pmt (FV)
      • PPmt
      • PPmt (FV)
      • PV (FV)
      • Rate
      • Rate (FV)
      • SLN
      • SYD
    • String
      • Center (String)
      • Chr (IntAscii)
      • Asc (String)
      • AddCDATAEnvelope
      • Concatenate (String)
      • ContainsAnyChar (String)
      • Contains (String)
      • Compact (String)
      • Find (Int64)
      • EndsWith (String)
      • FindIntStart (Int32)
      • Extract (String)
      • GetFindCount (Int64)
      • FindLast (Int64)
      • GetDigits (String)
      • GetLineFeed
      • Insert (String)
      • IsAlpha
      • GetToken
      • IndexOf
      • IsBlank
      • IsLower
      • IsUpper
      • IsSubstringOf
      • Length (String)
      • LeftOf (String)
      • Left (String)
      • IsValidName
      • Mid (String)
      • PadLeft
      • Mid (String Chars)
      • LSplit (String)
      • PadRight
      • ReplaceAllSpecialCharsWithSpace
      • RemoveChars (String str, StringCharsToRemove)
      • ReplaceLast
      • RightAlign
      • Reverse
      • Right (String)
      • RSplit (String)
      • SplitStringMultipleRecords
      • SplitStringMultipleRecords (2 Separators)
      • SplitString (3 separators)
      • SplitString
      • SplitStringMultipleRecords (3 Separators)
      • Trim
      • SubString (NoOfChars)
      • StripHtml
      • Trim (Start)
      • TrimExtraMiddleSpace
      • TrimEnd
      • PascalCaseWithSpace (String str)
      • Trim (String str)
      • ToLower(String str)
      • ToProper(String str)
      • ToUpper (String str)
      • Substring (String str, Integer startAt)
      • StartsWith (String str, String value)
      • RemoveAt (String str, Integer startAt, Integer noofChars)
      • Proper (String str)
      • Repeat (String str, Integer count)
      • ReplaceAll (String str, String lookFor, String replaceWith)
      • ReplaceFirst (String str, String lookFor, String replaceWith)
      • RightOf (String str, String lookFor)
      • RemoveChars (String str, String charsToRemove)
      • SplitString (String str, String separator1, String separator2)
    • Date Time
      • AddMinutes (DateTime)
      • AddDays (DateTimeOffset)
      • AddDays (DateTime)
      • AddHours (DateTime)
      • AddSeconds (DateTime)
      • AddMonths (DateTime)
      • AddMonths (DateTimeOffset)
      • AddMinutes (DateTimeOffset)
      • AddSeconds (DateTimeOffset)
      • AddYears (DateTimeOffset)
      • AddYears (DateTime)
      • Age (DateTime)
      • Age (DateTimeOffset)
      • CharToSeconds (Str)
      • DateDifferenceDays (DateTimeOffset)
      • DateDifferenceDays (DateTime)
      • DateDifferenceHours (DateTimeOffset)
      • DateDifferenceHours (DateTime)
      • DateDifferenceMonths (DateTimeOffset)
      • DateDifferenceMonths (DateTime)
      • DatePart (DateTimeOffset)
      • DatePart (DateTime)
      • DateDifferenceYears (DateTimeOffset)
      • DateDifferenceYears (DateTime)
      • Month (DateTime)
      • Month (DateTimeOffset)
      • Now
      • Quarter (DateTime)
      • Quarter (DateTimeOffset)
      • Second (DateTime)
      • Second (DateTimeOffset)
      • SecondsToChar (String)
      • TimeToInteger (DateTime)
      • TimeToInteger (DateTimeOffset)
      • ToDate Date (DateTime)
      • ToDate DateTime (DateTime)
      • ToDateString (DateTime)
      • ToDateTimeOffset-Date (DateTimeOffset)
      • ToDate DateTime (DateTimeOffset)
      • ToDateString (DateTimeOffset)
      • Today
      • ToLocal (DateTime)
      • ToJulianDate (DateTime)
      • ToJulianDayNumber (DateTime)
      • ToTicks (Date dateTime)
      • ToTicks (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • ToUnixEpoc (Date dateTime)
      • ToUtc (Date dateTime)
      • UnixTimeStampToDateTime (Real unixTimeStamp)
      • UtcNow ()
      • Week (Date dateTime)
      • Week (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • Year (Date dateTime)
      • Year (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • DateToJulian (Date dateTime, Integer length)
      • DateTimeOffsetUtcNow ()
      • DateTimeOffsetNow ()
      • Day (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • Day (Date dateTime)
      • DayOfWeekStr (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • DayOfWeek (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • DayOfWeek (Date dateTime)
      • DateToJulian (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime, Integer length)
      • DayOfWeekStr (Date dateTime)
      • FromJulianDate (Real julianDate)
      • DayOfYear (Date dateTime)
      • DaysInMonth(Integer year, Integer month)
      • DayOfYear (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • FromUnixEpoc
      • FromJulianDayNumber (Integer julianDayNumber)
      • FromTicksUtc(Integer ticks)
      • FromTicksLocal(Integer ticks)
      • Hour (Date dateTime)
      • Hour (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • Minute (Date dateTime)
      • JulianToDate (String julianDate)
      • Minute (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • DateToIntegerYYYYMMDD (DateTimeWithOffset dateTime)
      • DateToIntegerYYYYMMDD (Date dateTime)
    • Files
      • AppendTextToFile (String filePath, String text)
      • CopyFile (String sourceFilePath, String destFilePath, Boolean overWrite)
      • CreateDateTime (String filePath)
      • DeleteFile (String filePath)
      • DirectoryExists (String filePath)
      • FileExists (String filePath)
      • FileLength (String filePath)
      • FileLineCount (String filePath)
      • GetDirectory (String filePath)
      • GetEDIFileMetaData (String filePath)
      • GetExcelWorksheets (String excelFilePath)
      • GetFileExtension (String filePath)
      • GetFileInfo (String filePath)
      • GetFileName (String filePath)
      • GetFileNameWithoutExtension (String filePath)
      • LastUpdateDateTime (String filePath)
      • MoveFile (String filePath, String newDirectory)
      • ReadFileBytes (String filePath)
      • ReadFileFirstLine (String filePath)
      • ReadFileText (String filePath)
      • ReadFileText (String filePath, String codePage)
      • WriteBytesToFile (String filePath, ByteArray bytes)
      • WriteTextToFile (String filePath, String text)
    • Date Time With Offset
      • ToDateTimeOffsetFromDateTime (dateTime String)
      • ToUtc (DateTimeWithOffset)
      • ToDateTimeOffsetFromDateTime
      • ToDateTimeOffset (String dateTimeOffsetStr)
      • ToDateTimeFromDateTimeOffset
    • GUID
      • NewGuid
    • Encoding
      • ToBytes
      • FromBytes
      • UrlEncode
      • UrlDecode
    • Regular Expressions
      • ReplaceRegEx
      • ReplaceRegEx (Integer StartAt)
    • TimeSpan
      • Minutes
      • Hours
      • Days
      • Milliseconds
    • Matching
      • Soundex
      • DoubleMetaphone
      • RefinedSoundex
  • Report Model
    • User Guide
      • Report Model Tutorial
    • Report Model Interface
      • Report Options
      • Report Browser
      • Data Regions in Report Models
      • Region Properties Panel
      • Pattern Properties
      • Field Properties Panel
    • Use Cases
      • Applying Pattern to Line
      • Auto Creating Data Regions and Fields
      • Auto Parsing
      • Connecting to Cloud Storage
      • Creating Multi Column Data Regions
      • Defining Region End Type as Specific Text and Regular Expression
      • Defining the Start Position of Data Fields
      • Floating Patterns and Floating Fields
      • How To Work With PDF Scaling Factor in a Report Model
      • Line Count
      • Pattern Count
      • Pattern is a Regular Expression
      • Using Comma Separated Values to Define Start Position
    • Auto Generate Layout (Beta)
      • Setting Up AGL in Astera
      • UI Walkthrough Auto Generation of Layout, Fields and Table
      • Using Auto Generation Layout, Auto Create Fields, and Auto Create Table (Beta)
    • Exporting Options
      • Exporting a Report Model
      • Exporting Report Model to A Dataflow
    • Miscellaneous
      • Importing Monarch Models
      • Microsoft Word and Rich Text Format Support
      • Working With Problematic PDF Files
  • API Flows
    • API Consumption
      • Consume
        • REST Connection
        • Making API Calls with the REST Client Object in Astera
        • REST API Browser
        • Method Operations
        • Pagination
      • Authorize
        • Open APIs - Configuration Details
        • Authorizing Facebook APIs in Astera
        • Authorizing Astera's Server APIs
        • Authorizing Avaza APIs in Astera
        • Authorizing Square API in Astera
        • Authorizing ActiveCampaign API in Astera
        • Authorizing QuickBooks’ API in Astera
        • Accessing Astera's Server APIs Through a Third Party Tool
        • Astera's Server API Documentation
  • Project Management
    • Project Management
      • Deployment
      • Server Monitoring and Job Management
      • Connecting to Source Control
      • Astera Project and Project Explorer
    • Job Scheduling
      • Scheduling Jobs on the Server
      • Job Monitor
  • Use Cases
    • End-to-End Use Cases
      • Data Integration
        • Using Astera Data Stack to Create and Orchestrate an ETL Process for Partner Onboarding
      • Data Warehousing
        • Building a Data Warehouse - A Step By Step Approach
      • Data Extraction
        • Reusing The Extraction Template for Similar Layout Files
  • Connectors
    • Setting Up IBM DB2/iSeries Connectivity in Astera
    • Connecting to SAP HANA Database
    • Connecting to MariaDB Database
    • Connecting to Salesforce Database
    • Connecting to Salesforce - Legacy Database
    • Connecting to Vertica Database
    • Connecting to Snowflake Database
    • Connecting to Amazon Redshift Database
    • Connecting to Amazon Aurora Database
    • Connecting to Google Cloud SQL in Astera
    • Connecting to MySQL Database
    • Connecting to PostgreSQL in Astera
    • Connecting to Netezza Database
    • Connecting to Oracle Database
    • Connecting to Microsoft Azure Databases
    • Connecting to Amazon RDS Databases
  • Miscellaneous
    • Using Dynamic Layout Template Mapping in Astera
    • Synonym Dictionary File
    • SmartMatch Feature
    • Role Based Access Control in Astera
    • Updating Your License in Astera
    • Using Output Variables in Astera
    • Connection Vault
    • Safe Mode
    • Using the Data Source Browser in Astera
    • Pushdown Mode
    • Cloud Deployment
      • Deploying Astera on Microsoft Azure Cloud
      • Deploying Astera on Oracle Cloud
      • Deploying Astera on Amazon Web Services
    • Context Information
  • Best Practices
    • Overview of Cardinality in Data Modeling
    • Cardinality Errors FAQs
    • Astera Best Practices - Dataflows
Powered by GitBook

© Copyright 2025, Astera Software

On this page
  • Sample Use Case
  • Creating a Report Model
  1. Report Model
  2. Use Cases

Pattern is a Regular Expression

PreviousPattern CountNextUsing Comma Separated Values to Define Start Position

Last updated 11 months ago

As the name suggests, the Pattern is a Regular Expression feature in Astera reads the specified pattern as a regular expression. A regular expression is a special text string used to define a search pattern.

You can think of regular expressions as wildcards. For example, wildcard notations such as *.txt are used to find all text files in a file manager.

In this article, we will explore a scenario where the Pattern is a Regular Expression feature that helps us in selecting a data region.

Sample Use Case

In this case, we have some unstructured data stored in a .txt file.

Download the sample text file here.

This file contains contact details of the business dealers of the company.

Here, we want to capture the information including the name, company, and state of these dealers along with their phone and fax numbers. Notice that the information in the phone and fax fields is written in a different format than the rest of the data on this file. In order to capture this information, we will use the Pattern is a Regular Expression feature.

Creating a Report Model

  1. Load the unstructured source file in Astera's designer window.

  1. Right-click on the Record node in the Model layout panel and select Add Data Region from the context menu.

A pattern-matching box, a properties panel, and a data node are added on the Report Model screen.

  1. Check the Pattern is a Regular Expression option present in the Pattern Properties panel. This is done so that Astera can capture phone and fax numbers that have been formatted differently, through a regular expression.

  1. Specify the pattern in the form of a regular expression to capture the required data region.

In this case, the first symbol is "\" (a backslash) which means starts with, which indicates that the required data starts with the character/symbol used in the following pattern.

You can see that the entire data has been highlighted.

Next, put "(" in the pattern box after a backslash, which indicates that the required data starts with an open bracket.

Notice that only the data lines with phone numbers starting with an open bracket have been highlighted. Since some phone numbers do not have an open bracket as the first character, put "?" in the pattern box after "(", which will indicate that the data may or may not start with an open bracket.

Notice that all the numbers are using the "x" character. So, write "x" in the pattern box, after the question mark. You can see that all the data lines with phone and fax numbers have been selected now.

To be more precise, you can put a plus sign after "x", indicating that the character "x" can appear more than once.

The pattern in the form of a regular expression has been specified.

  1. To capture the rest of the data, increase the Line Count to 3 and the Apply Pattern to Line to 1.

The required data region has been selected. Now, let’s create data fields.

  1. Highlight the information inside the data region, right-click on it, and select Add Data Field from the context menu. In this case, let’s rename it to Name.

Repeat the same process to create more data fields and name them as shown below. You can see the layout of the extraction template in the Model Layout panel.

  1. Preview the data by clicking on the Preview Data icon placed in the toolbar at the top of the designer window.

A Data Preview window will open displaying a preview of the extracted data.

385B
6-Regular-Expression.zip
archive