Update Operations

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Purpose

Update operations add fields or arrays to existing objects.

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Basic Structure

{
  "update": [
    {
      "object": {
        "target": "ObjectName",
        "variant": "DEF",
        "refIdType": "metaId",
        "refIdValues": [2]      // Must match existing object
      },
      "model": {
        "encapsulationKeyType": "array",
        "encapsulationKey": "items",
        "content": {...}
      },
      "aggregate": [...]        // Optional
    }
  ]
}

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Matching Existing Objects

The refIdValues must reference columns that match the metaId from create:

// Create: metaId from column 1 (id)
"create": [{
  "object": {"refIdValues": [1]}
}]

// Update: column 2 must contain values from column 1
"update": [{
  "object": {"refIdValues": [2]}  // Column 2 = customer_id
}]

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Updates by elementId

Besides metaId, Streams can update objects by a key that is inside the object structure.

Use this when you do not have the global identifier of the object, but you know a field inside the object (for example a city in an address, or a line identifier inside an order).

{
  "update": [
    {
      "object": {
        "target": "Person",
        "variant": "CRM",
        "refIdType": "elementId",
        "refIdName": "city",
        "refIdValues": [4],
        "refIdContextType": "object",
        "refIdContextName": "address"
      },
      "model": {
        "contentType": "adhoc",
        "content": {
          "elements": [
            {
              "encapsulationKeyType": "object",
              "encapsulationKey": "coordinates",
              "contentType": "object",
              "content": {
                "columnsChoice": "Selection",
                "columns": [5, 6]   // longitude, latitude
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Object fields specific to elementId updates

Key	Required	Description
refIdType	Yes	Must be "elementId".
refIdName	Yes*	Hard-coded name of the key used to locate the element (e.g., "city").
refIdNameReference	Yes*	Alternative to refIdName: key name taken from another stream via a glossary reference.
refIdValues	Yes	List of column orders whose values are concatenated to form the element identifier.
refIdContextType	Optional	Where the element is located: "object" or "array".
refIdContextName	Optional	Name of the parent key that contains the element (e.g., "address" or "orderLines").

* Use either refIdName or refIdNameReference, but not both.

Choosing between metaId and elementId

Use metaId when:

• you have a stable unique identifier in the source (customerId, contractId, socialSecurityNumber, etc.);
• each row clearly corresponds to one object instance.

Use elementId when:

• you need to update a nested part of an object (city inside address, line inside orderLines, child inside family.children);
• the identifier you have is stored inside the object instead of being its global id.

Typical scenarios:

• metaId: create/update a Person based on their socialSecurityNumber.
• elementId: update a Person.address based on the city name, or update one specific line of an order.

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Update Types

1. Add Array

{
  "model": {
    "encapsulationKeyType": "array",
    "encapsulationKey": "orders",
    "contentType": "adhoc",
    "content": {
      "elements": [
        {
          "contentType": "columnsList",
          "content": {"columns": [3, 4, 5]}
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

2. Add Simple Field

{
  "model": {
    "contentType": "adhoc",
    "content": {
      "elements": [
        {
          "encapsulationKeyType": "element",
          "encapsulationKey": "totalOrders",
          "contentType": "formula",
          "content": {
            "value": "count(orders[].id)",
            "type": "integer",
            "isPostProcessed": true
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

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Aggregations (WIP)

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Complete Example

{
  "update": [
    {
      "object": {
        "target": "Sale",
        "variant": "DEF",
        "refIdType": "metaId",
        "refIdValues": [2]
      },
      "model": {
        "encapsulationKeyType": "array",
        "encapsulationKey": "items",
        "contentType": "adhoc",
        "content": {
          "elements": [
            {
              "contentType": "columnsList",
              "content": {
                "columnsChoice": "Selection",
                "columns": [3, 4, 5]
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      },

      /*  (WIP)
      "aggregate": [
        {
          "key": "quantity",
          "aggregation": "sum"
        }
      ]
      */

    },
    {
      "object": {
        "target": "Sale",
        "variant": "DEF",
        "refIdType": "metaId",
        "refIdValues": [2]
      },
      "model": {
        "contentType": "adhoc",
        "content": {
          "elements": [
            {
              "encapsulationKeyType": "element",
              "encapsulationKey": "itemCount",
              "contentType": "formula",
              "content": {
                "value": "count(items[].product)",
                "type": "integer",
                "isPostProcessed": true
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

This adds:

1. items array with columns 3, 4, 5

2. itemCount formula (post-processed)

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Multiple Updates

You can have many update operations targeting the same object:

Update 1: Add orders array
Update 2: Add addresses array
Update 3: Add calculated totalOrders field
Update 4: Add calculated totalAddresses field

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