Re: Any way to pull data from a spool file

"Mark A. Manske" wrote:
>
> yes you can,
> there are many ways to skin this cat - however;
> one thing to remember is that you will be getting page headings,
> and for each report, you must have a program to extract out the data,
> since you know where it is located at - packages that do this will
> have you fill out a template for starting and ending locations
> and allow you to name the field, works well too, depends on how
> much time you are willing to spend on the project.
>
> Basically you can do a copy spool file to a text file, transfer it
> to a "pc" file either on your IFS or a network drive, or to a hard
> drive on the PC you are working with.  Strip out the headings either
> on the AS/400 or on the PC after the transfer, or in your VB program
> choose to ignore them.
>
> Another approach is to modify the report program to dump data
> to a file that is already formatted, then your VB can ODBC to
> the file and just read the data - depends on how much support
> time and personal you have at your disposal.
>
> On the other side of the coin, if you know what files and what
> logic is being used to create the report, the VB program can
> simply do the same thing (re-invent the wheel as it where) via
> odbc to the database files on the AS/400.
>
> HTH
>
> Mark A. Manske
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of
> Bman9111@collegeclub.com
> Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 12:36 PM
> To: midrange-l@midrange.com
> Subject: Any way to pull data from a spool file
>
> --
> I wanted to connect to an AS/400 spool file and take the text and place it
> into certain fields. Is this possible. I have had consultants say that there
> programs can in fact connect to spool files and puts the data into fields
> that can be pulled out by a visual basic program. I just can see how someone
> could idenitfy the text to know where to go.
> Any help is much appreciated!!
> Jon
>

One product that I've used is called Monarch.  It works extremely well
and can differentiate between heading, detail and (sub)total lines on
a report.  It can output into any number of different formats.

Barry