Integration Server uses extractors take data out of a parsed record and place it in the output of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service. If extractors are not defined in the flat file schema, the parser returns a series of records that contain no fields or composites. For information about the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service, see webMethods Integration Server Built-In Services Reference.

Integration Server extracts fields and composites from a record based on the position of the field delimiter. From the beginning of the record to the first field delimiter is the first field in the record. From the first field delimiter to the second field delimiter is the second field in the record, and so on. Everything from the last field delimiter to the record delimiter (the end of the record) is considered part of the final field.

Integration Server can also extract fields from a record based on a substring of the original record starting at a particular byte count and ending at a particular byte count. You specify the start of the field by specifying the number of bytes from the beginning of the record to the start of the field and specifying the number of bytes from the beginning of the record to the end of the field.

If a value is a composite, it is simply a field that can be further parsed into more fields. Instead of a field delimiter, a subfield delimiter is used to separate a composite into fields. Fields are extracted from a composite based on either the position of the subfield delimiter in the composite or on a substring of the composite. Keep in mind that all positions used in extracting fields from a composite are referenced from the beginning of the composite, not the start of the record.