(GLUE-1812) Create a Glue table

Owned by SNP
Nov 29, 2018
3 min read

In the initial screen, enter the name of the new table and click Create.

Attributes

Under the Attributes tab fill in the following fields:

  • Short Description – description of the table
  • StorageID (Load) – defines a connection to a storage (Hadoop cluster).
  • Storage Management navigates you to Storage Management setup transaction. There you can see and manage (if your user has the rights to do so) storages. 

The following features are optional. For more information, see the chapter Additional Features.

  • Enable update - simulates the update operation for tables on storages which don't support the update operation, see Enable update.
  • Use meaningful values – transforms original values into more meaningful ones,  see Meaningful values.
  • Data enrichment – includes data from SAP master data into transactional data, see Data enrichment.

Fields

Under the Fields tab you can either manually insert the fields, or import them from an existing SAP table. You may define fields (columns) of the new table. 

Each field contains following attributes:

  • Field name
  • Key field - if marked, this field is a key field (part of primary key of the table)
  • Data element 
  • Data type
  • Data type length
  • Number of decimal places
  • Short text (description)

a. Import fields from an existing SAP table

Use Import Fields to generate the field structure of a Glue table based on existing SAP DDIC table, an InfoProvider or a file. The data elements, types, lengths, and descriptions are same as in the source table. 

Use meaningful fields setting helps you to define the fields name. You can use standard SAP field names or "meaningful" ones. For more information, see Meaningful fields.

b. Insert fields manually

If you choose to manually insert fields, fill in:

  • Field name
  • Key field (choose it the field is a key)
  • Data element
  • Data Type (is automatically filled according to the Data element or you can set it up manually by clicking Data Type/Element specification),
  • Partitioning

If you use a Hive or an Impala storage, please keep in mind which fields you choose for Partitioning. Selecting too granular data for partitioning may decrease the performance and the stability of the whole cluster.


You can manually manipulate the table using buttons from the toolbar.

  • Append Row: Appends new row at the end of the table
  • Insert Row: Inserts new row above the highlighted row
  • Delete Row: Deletes the highlighted row
  • DataType/Element specification: Helps you to specify the type of this field. You can either manually specify the Data Type, Length, Decimal Places, Short text,  or choose the Data Element according to which all previously mentioned parameters are filled automatically.

Please note that the following data types are not supported, when you create a Glue table:

LRAW, RAW, RSTR, VARC

Please note that the total number of characters for the primary Key field value is restricted to 338.

Save & Activate

You can save the table anytime during your work. If the table was not saved before, the system will ask you to fill the Package.


All the actions made so far are performed on the SAP side and have no effect on Hadoop system.

The table is created on an external storage (for example Hadoop) only after you activate it. The activation of a Glue table doesn't influence other Glue components.