Mapplet In Informatica

An Informatica Mapplet is a reusable object that comprises a set of transformations that can be used in multiple maps. You can use a Mapple in a mapping or can validate it as a rule. 

As far as transformations in a Mapplet are concerned, they can be either reusable or non-reusable. 

And then, when using a mapplet in mapping, you can use the mapple’s instance. 

Any change or alteration made to the mapplet will be inherited by all of the mapplet’s instances. In this post, let’s find out more about Mapplet in Informatica.

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What is Informatica Mapplet?

The Informatica Mapplet is one of the extremely useful features of Informatica PowerCenter. In any other programming language, reuse is important to build efficient and fast software. Mapplets offer these benefits in the environment of Informatica PowerCenter.

Mapplets are reusable objects that have logic and transformations quite similar to traditional mapping. However, the only difference here is the reuse. When you want mapping logic to be reusable across other mappings, you must put this logic within a mapplet. 

Why do we use Mapplet in Informatica?

There are two primary reasons to use mapplet in Informatica, such as:

• Every time, when loading new data into the table, the source system might be left with some space. And, each time a new transformation has to be set on each mapping. Therefore, mapplets are created and used to avoid repetition in terms of creating transformation expressions. They also help terminate unnecessary space created in the source system.
• The second reason is that by using a mapplet, on each workflow that is running in the system, a batch ID is created on the basis of timestamp. 

How to create a Mapplet in Informatica?

To create a mapplet in Informatica, follow these below-mentioned steps:

• Open a folder or connect to one where you wish to create a mapplet
• From the menu section, click Mapplet Designer
• From the available menu, choose to Create option
• There will be a popup asking you to name the mapplet
• Enter the name as per your preference and click OK
• Go to the menu, click Transformations and choose to Create option
• You will then have to select the transformation type to create a mapplet
• From the drop-down menu, choose Mapplet Input
• Give this transformation a name
• Click Create and then click on Done

How to edit Informatica Mapplet?

You can use a Mapplet Designer to edit the mapplet. The designer helps validate the changes whenever you save a mapplet. Upon doing so, all of the instances and shortcuts inherit the changes. If you wish to see the shortcuts or mappings that might be affecting the changes you make in a mapplet, you can:

• Choose the mapplet in the Navigator
• Right-click and choose Dependencies
• Or, you can also go to Mapplets > Dependencies from the menu

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Here are some changes you can make to a mapplet without impacting its validity or session:

• Add input or output ports
• Change input or output comments or transformation names
• Change comments or port names
• Change transformation properties, comments or names
• Change port default values for transformations

How to debug Mapplet in Informatica?

Informatica designer offers a feature that can be used to debug a mapplet in Informatica. This helps you debug and evaluate any of the existing mapplets. However, the only requirement here is that it should be a valid mapplet. Here are some steps to help you out:

• Open Informatica Designer 
• Open a mapping by double-clicking on it
• A source qualifier will be opened and you will see a target definition table that will display mapping
• Now, click on the menu option
• Choose Debugger
• Choose Start Debugger
• On the debug mapping window, click on Next
• In the next window, an option will be displayed where you will have to choose a session type. Here, you can either choose an existing reusable session, an existing session or can create a session instance
• Click Next
• In the next window, you will get the Discard Target Data option. If you don’t want to load any data in the target table during debugging, you can choose this option
• Click on the Finish option

Now, the debugging will begin. 

How to test Mapplet in Informatica?

There is not any separate way to test a mapplet in Informatica. You will have to do this in the mapping only.

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How to open Mapplet in Informatica?

Mapplets and mapplet ports are showcased differently in the Mapping Designer and the Mapplet Designer. When you use a mapplet in a mapping, the mapplet object showcases only the ports from the transformations of Output and Input. These are known as the mapple output and mapplet input ports.

The mapplet showcases the input ports from the input transformation and output ports from the output transformations. A mapplet can be expanded in a mapping designer by choosing it and clicking Mappings and then choosing Expand. 

This helps the mapplet to expand for viewing. Transformation icons in the expanded mapplet are showcased as shaded.

You can either iconize or open all of the transformations in the mapping and mapplet. Keep in mind that when the mapplet is expanded, you would not be able to edit any property, navigate to other folders or save the repository.

What are the features of Mapplets?

Here are some of the useful features of mapplets:

• A mapplet helps by defining the source definitions of integral data and a source qualifier to offer data for mapping.
• Data can be transformed into several pipelines. 
• A mapplet can comprise several groups of output ports that can be further connected to one another through diverse pipelines in the mapping.
• A mapplet may have no source definitions of data.
• Mapplets can accept the data from a mapping process through varying mapplet input ports.
• One mapplet can have several transformations. 

Do Mapplet and Mapping do the same?

Mapplets and Mapping both come with one similarity, which is there working on data. However, while mapping deals with the data wherein a modification has to be made; maplets deal with several mappings. Apart from this, here is a table displaying the difference between these two:

Mapplets	Mapping
These are a collection of a set of rules or transactions applied to data.	These are a collection of source data objects that are linked through a set of targets, transactions on which the data has to move.
The transformations in mapplets can be reused.	The transformations in mapping cannot be reused.
You can create a series of transformation logics	These use data sources as well as a transformation logic to transform the data to the target.
Mapplets can be applied to big data or bulk data.	Mappings can be applied to small data.
The basic components of mapplets include input and output.	The basic components of mapping include source tables, transformations, parameters and variables, and target objects.

What are the limitations of Mapplets?

Here are some of the limitations of mapplets:

• You cannot connect one single input port to varying transformations.
• If mapplets get changed to active from passive, the mapping defined on the data will be invalid.
• An input transformation should get data from one single active user only
• Mapplet doesn’t support PowerMate 3.5-style LOOKUP functions

How to avoid mistakes while creating or dealing with Mapplets?

Here are a few ways to avoid mistakes when creating or dealing with mapplets:

• Commenting on every input and output transformation made in mapplets is one of the best ways to avoid any mistakes. 
• Also, make sure you don’t provide any changes or alterations on the source datatype or the data precision. 

Conclusion

Now that you have understood everything about Informatica Mapplet, it’s time to integrate this information into your projects. By referring to the information mentioned above, creating, viewing and debugging Informatica Mapplet will definitely be an easy task.

List of Informatica Courses:

Mindmajix offers training for many other Informatica courses depending on your requirement:

Informatica Analyst	Informatica PIM
Informatica SRM	Informatica MDM
Informatica Data Quality	Informatica ILM
Informatica Big Data Edition	Informatica Multi-Domain MDM