Bringing data in to Data-flo

Import adaptors are a class of adaptor configured to bring data into Data-flo.

Data are brought in via Import adaptors, which import data from specific sources and/or file types.

Import adaptors

Some adaptors are specifically configured to connect to certain external data locations (e.g. Import-file-from-google-drive, Import from Sql-server-database).

Some adaptors are specific to certain data types or file types (e.g. Import csv-file-to-datatable).

Sometimes, the path to the file is hard-coded into a data-flo, and other times, the data-flo is configured to prompt the user for the location details when they run the Data-flo.

"Bind to Data-flo Input"

All adaptors have an option to prompt the user to enter input values at run time, called "bind to Data-flo input".

Often, an import adaptor is used with a 'bind to Data-flo input' binding, enabling the user to point at the data source at run time (e.g. to point at a specific file).

Sometimes, these run-time inputs will be used as instructions for the adaptor function's parameters.

Occasionally, however, this option may be used to enter actual data (e.g. pasting some comma-separated value data), though this should be done sparingly.