If the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service cannot recognize a record (for example, the record does not have a record identifier), the record will be treated as undefined data. To avoid this, you can specify a default record definition. The pub.flatFile:convertToValues service uses the default record definition to parse all unrecognized records of a particular type. In fact, if your flat file schema does not contain any record identifiers, you must specify a default record.

For example, if you have a CSV (comma separated values) flat file that simply lists the name, address, and phone number of a group of customers, none of the records would have a record identifier:

If you specified a default record definition to parse this particular type of record, the file can be properly parsed and converted to an IS document (IData object) named recordWithNoID. By default, each recordWithNoID document appears as a child of the document above it, in an array. To modify this default behavior, see Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings.

If a default record has not been specified, the record will be treated as undefined data, as described in Undefined Data.