RE: Select from [file with multiple record formats]

["Ted Barry" <TBARRY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah, I think I might just stick to Bob's solution.  I'm more familiar and 
comfortable with that one, but I'd definitely welcome some nuances.  :)

>>> vhamberg@attbi.com 03/14/02 04:04PM >>>
SQL message:

>Message ID . . . . . . :   SQL7003       Severity . . . . . . . :   30
>Message type . . . . . :   Diagnostic
>
>Message . . . . :   File XCJTALL in XCBA has more than one format.
>Cause . . . . . :   SQL cannot process a file unless it has only one format.

Funny thing, though - I was allowed to create an alias for this
multiple-format logical. Still could not use it, however.

Updates would be to the physical, probably using some branching code,
dependent on the format just retrieved.

At 06:24 PM 3/14/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Ted Barry wrote:
>
> >I've never had to deal with this one
> >until now...  Is it possible to select
> >and/or even update a file with multiple
> >record formats?
>
>Maybe.  If you have packed numbers to update it gets harder - you'd probably
>have to write your own UDFs.  Anyway, treat the record as a giant character
>string and "select" based on a substring.  If your header records all have a
>"1" in column 123 then you can select the headers with
>
>select * from flatfile where substr(flatfile, 123, 1) = '1'
>
>You update the same way.  Let's say you need to change that "1" to a "A"
>
>update flatfile set flatfile = substr(flatfile,1,122)
>        concat "A" concat substr(flatfile,124,length_of_rest_of_record)
>        where substr(flatfile,123,1)='1'
>
>Conceptually, you're building an entire new flat record composed of the
>first part of the record concatenated with the changed columns concatenated
>with the last part of the record.
>
>I only do this in extreme cases, like being on a system without a compiler.
>   --buck
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