Using the Propagation Routines - trillium_discovery - trillium_quality - 17.1

Trillium Control Center

Product type
Software
Portfolio
Verify
Product family
Trillium
Product
Trillium > Trillium Discovery
Trillium > Trillium Quality
Version
17.1
Language
English
Product name
Trillium Quality and Discovery
Title
Trillium Control Center
Topic type
Administration
Overview
How Do I
Configuration
Reference
Installation
First publish date
2008

The propagation routines are used with a regular comparison routine to prevent transitivity from occurring during the Relationship Linker or Reference Matcher process. Transitivity happens when two records match indirectly through a third record. For example, if record A matches B, and A matches C, B can match C, which generally would not be desirable.

When the propagation routine is invoked, if records A and B match and A has a blank (or zero) in one field and B has a value, the value is "propagated" in memory until record A has gone through all the records in the match window. Record A obtains a temporary copy of B’s value for future comparisons, which causes the A - to -C match to fail, thus prevents the B-to-C match (transitivity).

The following table lists the valid propagation routines:

Routine Description

nonblank

Prevents a match between blank and non-blank values.
nonzero Prevents a match between zero and non-zero values.
jnblank

Prevents a match between blank and non-blank values. Used with the following comparison routines and modifiers: ABSOLUTE (UC), CHARACTER, DATE (JP, UC), POSTCODE (UC), SPELLING (JP, UC, KR), SUBSTRING (UC)

jnonzero Prevents a match between zero and non-zero values. Used with the following comparison routines and modifiers: ABSOLUTE (UC), CHARACTER, DATE (JP, UC), POSTCODE (UC), SPELLING (JP, UC, KR), SUBSTRING (UC)

Example

In the example below, when Record A is compared to Record B, the blank apartment matches to an apartment number (Apt 1), so Record A and Record B match. Then Record A is compared to Record C and they also match. Because A matches B and A matches C, B matches C by transitivity, which is not correct.

Record A John Smith 15 Main St  
Record B John Smith 15 Main St Apt 1
Record C John Smith 15 Main St Apt 2

To prevent transitivity, you specify the nonblank propagation routine for the APTNO comparison routine in the Field List Editor.

When the Relationship Linker runs next time, Record A obtains a temporary copy of B’s apartment number for further comparisons. When Record A is compared to Record C, they do not match, thus Record B does not match Record C either.

Record A John Smith 15 Main St Apt 1 (temporary copy from Record B)
Record B John Smith 15 Main St Apt 1
Record C John Smith 15 Main St Apt 2