Is there a faster way? Right now I'm using about 12 String to Date nodes, some coupled with "String Replacer" to ensure that missing values at least look like a date... (along with several String to Number, etc, nodes).
Would be awesome to have a single "Column Types" node that I could just tell what each column needs...
You can use a column loop start to loop through all the columns you need to apply to. You will need a column rename (regex) node in the loop so that all the folllowing nodes in the loop can be configured easily to handle the same column name on each iteration, and then a second rename regex node at the end to change the name back again. Finally, close the loop with a loop end (column append) node
Steve
You also only can use a columnListLoopstart - StringTodate - loopEnd (columnAppend) where, in StringTodate, selectedcolumn parameter is controlled by a variable (flow variable, selected-column : currentColumnName)
that's it....
... or you use the new Column Auto Type Caster from 2.11. You can only specify one date pattern, though.