Generic Format
From Fmepedia
The Generic Format is an FME Format. Its FME format keyword is GENERIC
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Purpose
The generic format is a writer whose format is not determined until run time. This allows a user to create a single workspace that can be used to write any format of data.
Screenshots
Above: Adding a generic writer to a workspace.
Above: The Navigator Pane has a setting to select which format to use.
Above: Setting the destination format.
Above: By publishing the navigator pane setting, the user can be prompted to select a format at run time.
Uses
The generic writer has the unique ability to write any particular format. This makes it ideal for a workspace that might be used to produce any type of data. Instead of one workspace (or one writer) per format, a single workspace and writer can be employed.
This facility is particularly useful in an FME Server environment, where multiple workspaces would be a particular annoyance.
Limitations
- The generic writer cannot be used to write to database formats.
- By default the list of formats is the complete FME list.
- It is possible to reduce the formats list to a selected few. This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1bxHFvRfHo) demonstrates how to do that.
