I should probably be more explicit and less idle! Here's the contents of the fmepedia page that I think will apply. Remember: look in your log file for the unexpected input remover to be sure this is the cause.
Mark ================================================================= Q) I selected multiple files using the source dataset setting in the navigation window, but only one dataset gets translated why? A) Probably because the extra datasets do not have the same Feature Types as your workspace. Q) Feature Type you mean like line, point, area? A) No, in FME a Feature Type refers to the source dataset schema or structure. Many GIS applications assign a class or type to each individual feature; for example a feature could be classified as a road, river or railway. This is what FME uses as a feature type. When you create a workspace using a dataset the Feature Types present in that dataset are shown on the left hand side of the workspace canvas. Q) So Feature Type is a way to identify different real world items? A) Exactly and that will give you more control over how they are processed. For example, a DXF file is made up of a series of layers each layer is a Feature Type in FME. So if you need to convert lines on Layer A to points, whilst measuring the area of polygons on Layer B, then FME separates them out to give you the ability to control which Feature Types are read and to route them into different transformers as required. Q) So some of my datasets aren't being translated because the Feature Type is wrong? Why? A) Because when you created the workspace FME scanned the dataset(s) you chose to create a list of Feature Types; these Feature Types were added to the workspace; for example roads, rivers, railways. Q) But now with my different datasets A) Now you are using datasets with different Feature Types that FME doesn't know about. So if you are translating files with fences, hedges and ditches they don't match the known Feature Types (roads, rivers and railways) and FME will ignore them You can see this in the log window search for the line that includes the words `Unexpected Input Remover' this indicates how many features have been filtered out with unknown Feature Types. Q) But I'm using Shape format and I don't see how this applies to me? A) Some formats of data don't have the capability to store multiple Feature Types within a single file. ESRI Shape is one example of this, MapInfo MIF/MID is another. CSV format is prone to the same problems; it may contain a field with a Feature Type - but there is no standard structure for CSV therefore no way for FME to know which field (if any) represents Feature Type. In such a format it isn't possible to distinguish between, say, roads and railways within a single file, therefore a separate file is created for each; for example roads.shp and railways.shp In this case FME takes the name of the file as the name of the Feature Types it is processing. This makes it difficult to process multiple Shape files with the same workspace because any workspace you create for a single Shape file (roads.shp, Feature Type=roads) will be incompatible with any differently named Shape file (railways.shp, Feature Type=railways). It also means that files holding the same type of data won't be processed if they are named differently; for example create a workspace using roads-south.shp and it will not be compatible with roads-north.shp even though the features in both are of the same type. Q) Is there a way to fix the problem and read all my feature types? A) Of course; and as is usual with FME there is more than one way. 1) Add the Feature Types to the workspace. Use Source Data->Import Feature Type definitions from the menubar. You are prompted to select a source dataset when you do so FME makes a list of all of the Feature Types in that dataset and adds them to the workspace, in much the same way as when the workspace was originally created. You will need to make sure you select all the datasets that have different Feature Types. This solution is better suited to datasets which do have the ability to assign Feature Type; for example DGN, DXF, GeoDatabase, Smallworld. 2) Permit unknown feature types to be processed. Open up the properties dialog box for a single source Feature Type. You will see a `Merge Feature Type' option click it to turn on the option. You then need to enter a value for the `Merge Filter'. The merge filter is a standard expression that defines which Feature Types are allowed to pass. Set it to "*" (asteriks) and ALL feature types will be permitted to pass. Set it to "st*" and only Feature Types beginning with st will be permitted to pass. The advantage of the second method is that you don't need to worry about whether new datasets contain Feature Types you haven't encountered before, they will be passed regardless. The first method always requires you to predefine your Feature Types. However the disadvantage to the second method is that since all features pass through the same input channel you lose the individual control over them that the first method allows for. This solution is better suited to datasets which don't have the ability to assign Feature Type; for example Shape, MID/MIF, CSV. Q) So why does FME work this way? Why not just read all data in the source dataset? A) Because not every user wishes to read all data from the dataset. By using Feature Types in this way FME permits a user to selectively choose which features he wishes to process. Q) I have a Shape file whose name matches the Feature Type but the Unexpected Input Remover still throws away my data. Why? A) Check the case of the filename. roads.shp is not the same as Roads.shp or ROADS.shp --- In [email protected], "mark2atsafe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > That'll be the unexpected input remover. Probably (check your log > file) See the workbench FAQ on fmepedia.com for info on why it > happens and how to work with it. > > Mark > > --- In [email protected], "amms_c" <acokar@> wrote: > > > > Hi =) > > New to FME and I'm using FME 2006... > > > > I'm trying to use the batch deploy in workbench. I have a number > of > > shapefiles as input and I want to run similar translations on all > of > > them and then output multiple dwg's (note that the number of input > > files = number of output files) and for some reason "batch deploy" > is > > only outputing one file....in other words the batch deploy seems to > be > > doing nothing. When I run it...it's still only running on the file > > that I originally used to set my workspace up with as opposed to > all > > the files i'm meaning to input/output. > > > > I had a look at the FME faq's and the video they have on their > website > > but I can't seem to find what I'm doing wrong. > > > > Thanks in advance for everyone's help =) > > > Get the maximum benefit from your FME, FME Objects, or SpatialDirect via our Professional Services team. Visit www.safe.com/services for details. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fme/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
