RE: VAX FTP to AS/400 (via NT) with packed fields -- MIDRANGE-L

To my knowledge, you'll need to unpack the fields on the originating machine
before doing the file transfer(s)

Dan Thomas
Sr. VP Information Systems
Medical Distribution, Inc.
4500 Progress Blvd
Louisville, KY  40218-5058
Phone (502) 454-9013 ext 120
email  DThomas@lpw-mdi.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Clarke           3rd x4502 [mailto:clarke@teri.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 12:00 PM
> To:   'midrange-l'
> Subject:      VAX FTP to AS/400 (via NT) with packed fields
> 
> I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands and am turning to 'the list' for
> help, as I so often do when I'm in a jam (and almost always results in the
> answer I was looking for!).  
> 
> We have a servicer who presently provides us with a data file on tape
> which we have no problem processing directly on our AS/400.  The tape is
> created by a program running on a VAX machine, sent to us, copied from
> tape to file (cpyfrmtap), and processed via our Cobol/400 program.  One
> note ... this file contains packed fields.
> 
> In our effort to get away from tapes and human intervention, we have
> turned to FTP (naturally).  However we are having a bear of a time getting
> a file on the 400 that we can actually read!  The process goes like this
> ... servicer creates file on VAX, copies file via FTP to <their> NT based
> FTP server, then copy file via FTP to <our> NT based FTP server, from
> which we copy the file up to the 400 (no FTP on our 400 at this time -
> maybe someday).  We are basically trying 2 methods on our end to get the
> file up to the 400.  The first being to just copy the file to a folder and
> using CPYFRMPCD to copy to file.  The second method is to use NetSoft's
> File Transfer utility to copy directly from PC to AS/400 file.  In either
> case, we can get to a point where we either have good alphanumeric data
> and garbage packed fields, or vice versa.  We have tried literally every
> conversion combination available with each method.  The provider of this
> file swears it is exactly the same as what we receive today on tape.  We
> have also had them try FTP with both ASCII and binary options.
> 
> My question is this ... Does anyone know if this is even a workable
> solution?  Is there something about packed fields that FTP cannot deal
> with?  Am I missing something obvious (I don't mind looking like an idiot
> if it means getting this resolved :-))?  I realize that one obvious
> solution would be to do away with the packed fields, however this is
> something of a 'legacy' application which works well with other servicers
> (whom use direct system to system transfers via SNA and BSC protocols via
> existing dedicated and dial-up lines).  So we don't want to put ourselves
> in a situation where we're maintaining multiple incoming file formats.
> 
> As always, any insight would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks in advance!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Bob Clarke
>  
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