Data Converters

This section provides an overview of the available data converters.

The descriptions of the data converters below refer to the concepts of patterns and expressions, both of which are central text manipulation concepts in Kofax RPA. For a description of these two concepts, see Patterns and Expressions.

Standard

This category contains the most commonly used data converters. The most common way to process a text is to use Extract. It allows you to extract a piece of text using a pattern. To evaluate an expression, use Evaluate Expression. To add a text, use Add Text. To convert a text using a list of conversion rules, use Convert Using List. To get the value of a variable, use Get Variable.

Action	Description
Extract	This data converter extracts a piece of text from the input text using a pattern. The part that you wish to extract should be marked with a pair of parenthesis.
Evaluate Expression	This data converter outputs the result of an expression. The input text to the data converter can be used in the expression by using the INPUT notation.
Add Text	This data converter adds a text before or after the input text.
Convert Using List	This data converter converts the input text to an output text using a list of conversions.
Get Variable	This data converter fetches the value of a variable. The input text is ignored.

Extraction

This category contains data converters for extraction. The most commonly used one is Extract. It allows you to extract a piece of text using a pattern. If you need more advanced extraction features, use Advanced Extract. To apply the functionality of Advanced Extract multiple times on the same text, use Extract List.

Action	Description
Extract	This data converter extracts a piece of text from the input text using a pattern. The part that you wish to extract should be marked with a pair of parenthesis.
Advanced Extract	This data converter matches the input text against a pattern and outputs the result of an expression.
Extract List	This data converter finds all matches of a pattern, and for each match, evaluates an expression. The output text is a list of the results of the expression.

Text Formatting

This category contains data converters for various kinds of text formatting. To add a text, use Add Text. To search and replace text, use Replace Text. To search and replace text using a pattern, use Replace Pattern. To remove spaces from the input text, use Remove Spaces. To remove all special characters, use Remove Special Characters. To remove all non-printable characters, use Remove Non-Printable Characters. To change case, use Convert to Lower Case, Convert to Upper Case, or Capitalize.

Action	Description
Add Text	This data converter adds a text before or after the input text.
Replace Text	This data converter finds and replaces matching text in the input text.
Replace Pattern	This data converter replaces every match of a pattern with the result of an expression.
Remove Spaces	This data converter removes spaces from the input text.
Remove Special Characters	This data converter replaces all special characters in the input text with spaces.
Remove Non-Printable Characters	This data converter removes all non-printable characters.
Convert to Lower Case	This data converter converts all characters in the input text to lower case.
Convert to Upper Case	This data converter converts all characters in the input text to upper case.
Capitalize	This data converter capitalizes the input text, i.e. makes the first character in every word upper case, and the remaining characters lower case.
Unquote Text	This data converter unquotes text that has been enclosed in double or single quotes.

Number Handling

This category contains data converters for handling numbers. To extract a number from a text, use Extract Number. To format a number that is already in the standard number format, use Format Number.

Action	Description
Extract Number	This data converter extracts a number from the input text and outputs the number in the standard number format.
Format Number	This data converter reformats a number that is in the standard number format.

Date Handling

This category contains data converters for handling dates. To extract a date from a text, use Extract Date. To extract a year from a text, use Extract Year. To format a date that is already in the standard date format, use Format Date. To get the time between two dates, use Get Time Between Dates. To modify a date, use Modify Date.

Action	Description
Extract Date	This data converter extracts a date from the input text and outputs the date in the standard date format.
Extract Year	This data converter extracts a year from a date in the input text.
Format Date	This data converter reformats a date that is in the standard date format.
Get Time Between Dates	This data converter allows you to find the difference between two dates. It compares the date in the input text to a given date and calculates the difference, measured in the selected unit.
Modify Date	This data converter modifies the input date by adding or subtracting an amount from a selected part of the date. If this causes that part of the date to overflow or underflow, the other parts of the date will be updated accordingly. A time zone, in which the modifications are performed, can be specified.
Convert To Excel Date	Converts a date from a standard date format to an Excel format.
Convert From Excel Date	Converts a date from an Excel format to the standard date format.

Boolean Handling

This category contains a Boolean converter for handling boolean values.

Action	Description
Extract Boolean	This data converter searches for patterns and returns boolean values.

HTML Handling

This category contains data converters for handling HTML. To remove all HTML tags from a text, use Remove Tags. To convert HTML to plain, structured text, use Convert HTML to Text. To reformat (pretty-print) HTML, use Format HTML. To count the number of times that a specific tag appears in the input text, use Count Tags.

Action	Description
Remove Tags	This data converter removes HTML tags from the input text.
Convert HTML to Text	This data converter converts the input HTML text to plain text, and structures the text similarly to how it would appear in a browser.
Format HTML	This data converter reformats (pretty-prints) the input HTML text.
Count Tags	This data converter counts tags with the name matching exactly the name given in the Tag Name field. If you want the converter to count only tags, that has a corresponding end tag within the input string, check the 'Require End Tag' checkbox.

Output Format Handling

This category contains data converters for handling output formats. Each data converter can format an object into a specific output format and add it to the input text (supposed to be a previously created partial result). Alternatively, any piece of text can be added to the input text according to the rules of the chosen output format.

Action	Description
Add to CSV	This data converter converts a variable to CSV format and adds it to the input text.

Encoding and Decoding

This category contains data converters for encoding and decoding. To decode or encode ampersands, use Ampersand Decode or Ampersand Encode. To encode or decode URLs, use URL Encode or URL Decode. To Base64 encode or decode binary data, use Base64 Encode or Base64 Decode.

Action	Description
Ampersand Encode	This data converter encodes characters with ampersand encodings, which is replacing certain characters with "&<something>;".
Ampersand Decode	This data converter decodes all HTML ampersand encodings into their real characters.
URL Encode	This data converter encodes characters with URL encodings.
URL Decode	This data converter decodes all URL encodings into their real characters.
Base64 Encode	This data converter encodes data using Base64 encoding.
Base64 Decode	This data converter decodes Base64 encoded data.
Convert Binary to Text	Converts a binary variable to text. The input text is ignored.
Convert Text to Binary	Converts a text variable to it binary Hex representation. The input text is ignored.

Other

This category contains various other data converters.

Action	Description
Evaluate Expression	This data converter outputs the result of an expression. The input text to the data converter can be used in the expression by using the INPUT notation.
Convert Using List	This data converter converts the input text to an output text using a list of conversions.
Convert Using JavaScript	This converter allows you to define the conversion using JavaScript. The input is available in the INPUT variable, and the result of the conversion must be assigned to the OUTPUT variable.
If Then	The If Then data converter allows you to specify a list of if-then rules that determine the output of the converter.
Get Variable	This data converter fetches the value of a variable. The input text is ignored.
Get Property	This data converter fetches the value of a property from a property list contained in a variable.
Make URL Absolute	This data converter makes a URL absolute.
Make URL Relative	Make URL Relative
Compute MD5 Checksum	This data converter computes an MD5 checksum of the input text.

Deprecated

This category contains data converters that have been replaced by newer versions or have otherwise become obsolete. They are available only for backwards compatibility with robots written using earlier versions of Design Studio. Do not use these data converters in new robots.