# Context Information

The *Context Information* object in Astera provides a set of context information parameters that take their values at runtime of a dataflow or workflow. These parameters include several details related to the job taking place and the server on which it is being run, such as *ServerName*, *JobId*, *UserName*, and *DroppedFilePath*, among others.

### Use Case

In this use case, we will automate the process of writing a fictitious organization’s customer data, which is currently available in an Excel format, to a database table. The source data is stored in multiple Excel files, and each of these files will be dropped into a particular folder. Our goal is to design a process where customer data is extracted from every file that is dropped into the folder, and then written to a destination table without any manual intervention. For this, we will be using the *DroppedFilePath* parameter in the *Context Information* object, in conjunction with the *When File is Dropped* option in the Astera *Job Scheduler.*

### Using the Context Information Object in Astera 

We have already designed a dataflow to create the process of writing data to a destination table, and we will orchestrate this process for automation in a workflow.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/lWEcmE4WWhY4Ddebx1Jd/01-context-information-dataflow.PNG)

In the dataflow, we have used an [*Excel Workbook Source* ](https://documentation.astera.com/dataflows/sources/excel-workbook-source)object to extract data from the source files, and a [*Database Table Destination*](https://documentation.astera.com/dataflows/destinations/database-table-destination) object to write this data to a database table. A *Variables* object has been used to create a variable that will provide source file paths to the *Excel Workbook Source* object.

On the *Variables Properties* screen of the *Variables* object, you will see that we have created an input variable, *FilePath*.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/cBDBgfnDSvOl4jaxVGzo/02-context-information-variable-filepath.PNG)

We have used this variable as an input parameter for the *FilePath* section in the *Config Parameters* screen of the *Excel Workbook Source* object.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/KvPI1WURZ0CfLsxKJF55/03-context-information-excel-config-parameters.PNG)

We have incorporated this dataflow into our workflow by using the [*Run Dataflow* ](https://documentation.astera.com/workflows/run-dataflow)object. You will notice that the *FilePath* variable is visible in the object layout.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/8FIrZU4zHXYPA3ctZTqT/04-context-information-run-dataflow.PNG)

Go to the Resources section in the Toolbox, and drag-and-drop the *Context Information* object onto the workflow designer.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/hxR1EXH0mDzJFfdUehRw/05-context-information-workflow.PNG)

In the object layout, you can see all of the context information parameters that are available. If you wish to see their data types, right-click on the object header and select *Properties* from the context menu.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/tPcduxBadrpCeko9EWzo/06-context-information-properties.PNG)

* *Name*: Name of the workflow. For example, Workflow1.wf
* *JobId*: ID of the job assigned by the server
* *ScheduledJobId*: ID of the job associated with a schedule in case of scheduled running on a server
* *ServerName*: Name of the server running the workflow
* *UserName*: User account that runs the workflow
* *DroppedFilePath*: Path to the file being dropped, in case of a scheduled job of type ‘When File is Dropped’

As mentioned earlier, all of these parameters take their values at run-time.

In this case, we require the *DroppedFilePath* parameter’s value to be fed to the source object in our dataflow. Map this parameter from the *Context Information* object to the *FilePath* variable that is visible under the *Input* node of the *Run Dataflow* object.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/tGlfFu0rrHok1KIArzdt/07-context-information-worflow.PNG)

Now, all that is left is to schedule this job to run whenever a source file is dropped into a specified folder. For this, we have selected the *When File is Dropped* option under the *Frequency* section of the [*Job Scheduler*](https://documentation.astera.com/project-management-and-scheduling/job-scheduling/scheduling-jobs-on-the-server)*.*

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/dYtCdPlqpMhXU6yOT1N8/13-context-information-job-scheduler.PNG)

Further, we have specified a directory where the files will be dropped.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/1turef9RyL9J09wFx0Lw/14-context-info-job-scheduler-file-drop.png)

Once we have created this schedule, every delimited file dropped into this folder will automatically be written to the destination table. Here is a look at the destination table after we have added one source file to the folder.

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/zEifS4h8yurLAAwiGNX2/blobs/9JyWBFC5C0122ttnf0yY/15-context-information-destination-table.PNG)

This concludes using the *Context Information* object in Astera.


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