Dynamic Multi-File Processing

I have an opportunity to add some table-driven functionality to several programs I am writing.

The client company will be sending some demographic data for research to outside companies who do such things. For now, it's only one outside research company. In the future, it could be two or three or more who are assigned a percentage of available records. I have a code table which the user can maintain by entering a three character code for the outside researcher and three digits for the percentage breakout. For today's one company, the record is AAA100.... three character company AAA and 100% of the records. Let's say we have two... the table record will be AAA050BBB050. Suppose we have four... AAA025BBB025CCC025DDD025. What I must do from this point is populate files with the percentage of records dictated by the table entry. That's easy enough to do internally (Count1 = 25% of recordcount, Count2 = 25% of recordcount, etc.). How would I set up my files for this? Do I plan for the maximum number by company code (my limit is seven companies and percentages), then open and fill them as needed? I am creating flat files from my database files to be sent to these companies either as a stream file or a comma-delimited file. I create the database of demographic records and assign them by percentage.

It's a lovely concept, but I need a practical solution.

Thanks,



Robert Munday
Munday Software Consultants
Montgomery, AL
on assignment in Columbia, SC