KETTLE Variables

The kettle.properties file contain all the global variables for KETTLE.

Workshop - Kettle Variables


Global Variables - kettle.properties

Variables can be used throughout Pentaho Data Integration, including in transformation steps and job entries. You define variables by setting them with the Set Variable step in a transformation or by setting them in the kettle.properties file in the directory.

The way to use them is either by grabbing them using the Get Variable step or by specifying meta-data strings like:

${VARIABLE} or:

%%VARIABLE%%

Both formats can be used and even mixed, the first is a UNIX derivative, the second is derived from Microsoft Windows. Dialogs that support variable usage throughout Pentaho Data Integration are visually indicated using a blue dollar sign.

You can use + space hot key to select a variable to be inserted into the property value. Mouse over the variable icon to display the shortcut help.

  1. Select Edit -> Edit the kettle.properties file

  2. Highlight the first row and right mouse click, and select the following option.

Global variables
  1. Add the following variable values.

Variable Name
Value

DIR_SAMPLES

/home/pentaho/Temp

  1. Save.

The kettle.properties can also be edited manually

  1. In a Terminal.

cd
cd /home/pentaho/.kettle
nano kettle.properties
kettle.properties

The global variable is accessed, in transformations, by selecting Ctrl + Spacebar, wherever you see a blue diamond.

Global variable in Transformation

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