Masking fixed-width files

This walkthrough explains how to mask a fixed-width file by building a package that loads the given file, performs masking and creates a new, masked fixed-width file.

Table of contents
Preconditions
Masking activities that are going to be used
Steps

Preconditions

BizDataX Package (Visual Studio project) is created
Fixed-width file that is going to be masked is saved in C:\Temp
Content of the fixed-width file must have the following format: every row contains data, and each piece of data ("FirstName" and "LastName") is exactly 25 characters long (the file used in this walkthrough can be downloaded here)

Masking activities that are going to be used

Step
Masking engine
Masking iterator
API handler
Pick US first name from list
Pick US last name from list

Steps

From Solution Explorer open the Code.cs file.

In Code.cs add namespace Ekobit.BizDataX.DataMasking.Files and class Customer with properties equal to rows in the fixed-width file.

using System; 
using System.Collections.Generic; 
using System.Linq; 
using System.Text;  
using Ekobit.BizDataX.DataMasking.Files;

namespace BizDataXPackage
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Contains custom code to be used during package execution.
    /// </summary>
    public static class Code
    {
        // TODO: Add your code here
    }

    public class Customer
    {
        [Fixed(25)]
        public String FirstName { get; set; }

        [Fixed(25)]
        public String LastName { get; set; }
    }
}

Save your changes and build the project.

First few rows of the fixed-width file that is going to be masked:

Rhiannon                 Velazquez                
Jasmine                  Conley                   
Iliana                   Patrick                  
Toni                     Valencia                 
Stormy                   Branch                   
Naomi                    Guzman                   
Jaylen                   Sampson                  
Destini                  Downs

From the Solution Explorer open the Package.xaml file.
Delete the workflow created by default.
Drag the Step activity from the Toolbox into the opened Package.xaml.
Drag the Masking engine from the Toolbox into the Step.
Drag the Masking iterator from the Toolbox into the Masking engine.
In the Select Types pop-up window select Browse for Types... and find Customer.
Click OK on both pop-up windows.
Drag the API handler from the Toolbox into the Masking iterator, in the place that says "Drop data handler here".

In the API handler write:

api=>api.Fixed().GetHandler<customer>("C:/Temp/Customers.txt","C:/Temp/Customers_masked.txt")

Drag the Pick US first name from list masking activity from the Toolbox into the Masking iterator, where it says "Drop activities here".
In the Pick US first name from list masking activity, select FirstName as the "Property".
Do the same for the Pick US last name from list masking activity (select LastName as "Property").
Save your changes and start package execution (Debug->Start Without Debugging).

Open the C:\Temp directory to check for changes. A new file named Customers_masked.txt is created and it contains masked data from the original Customers.txt file.

Rita                     Navarro                  
Gregory                  Vaughan                  
Samuel                   Charles                  
Francesco                Joyner                   
Robbie                   Vaughan                  
Kyla                     Lowe                     
Alice                    Randall                  
Kelsey                   Carter

Figure 1: Fixed-width file masking

Note: API Handler can be configured with additional options (using line breaks, different encodings, etc): Figure 2: API handler options