Evaluate manipulated SYSDATE in Pentaho output

Question

I want to include the specific start and end dates from a date range used within a query as outputs in an excel file separate from the main deliverable in Pentaho Kettle.

The date range in the query is

WHERE Entry_Date BETWEEN ${StartDate} AND ${EndDate}

And I've "parameterized" this in the Transformation Settings (under Parameters Tab) as StartDate = SYSDATE-45 EndDate = SYSDATE

It's not really parameterized, and I could just sub SYSDATE and SYSDATE-45 into the query, but I am trying to get the actual date values to be evaluated through a Get Variables step. How I have it set up, it will only report SYSDATE-45 and SYSDATE, without evaulating them.

Is there a way to convert SYSDATE into a date value in the Get Variables step?

Answer 1

The Parameter section of the PDI doesn't do any sort of query execution. If you have defined any value to a variable, there would be no change in the variable when you are passing to the job/transformation.

In your case, you need to execute SYSDATE and SYSDATE-45 first using either "Table Input Step" and then define the variable, instead of directly assigning SYSDATE to the variable startDate/endDate. The below image might help you out :

Hope this helps !! :)