Re: Flat File Help?

Hi Booth,

I like your recommendation of the catch-all indicator.

I also like the cycle, but will leave that at that !

I guess my definition of a flat file would be a file with a fixed record
length, with no external definitions for the fields within it.
"Flat" in the sense that as far as OS400 was concerned it was just a bunch
of data  - no definition about the structure of the data within it, just
the number of records and the length of the record format.

Dspffd you would show only one field.

Interfaces between different systems (eg AS400/Unix/Mainframe) often use
what could be called flat files. Header-Detail-Trailer records is a common
concept with flat files. Sometimes the Header and/or Trailer will contain
information about how many detail records there are and may have totals for
cross-checking & validating against the detail records.

Another reply to this topic mentioned Tape files, which I think is a great
example of a flat file.

Rgds,
Nigel.


<snip>

What is a "flat file"?  That part still eludes me.

In the example you offer though, make the file IP and forget the read
loops and setting on LR.  But add in an input record type to catch any
errant records (I used 99 here).  If you are going to program-describe
anyway, take advantage of the work already done for you by the compiler.
(I also added the L1 indicator because if he has both header and detail,
I'd bet he'll need L1 break processing.)

<endsnip>




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