Re: Read CSV file from IFS

Adam,
You are correct, writing a programs to read and write stream files is not
difficult at all. Writing programs to properly parse a delimited file is a
bit harder.

You have to read the stream file, strip out leading and trailing quotes
making sure to keep quotes within a string in tact. You also have to make
sure you don't get a comma in the middle of a string and assume that to be
delimiter. There are other things you have to watch for and IMHO writing
something that's already there is not worth all the troubles that can come
up.

I have attempted to write my own CSV parser in the past and it really didn't
work out so well.

Just my opinion though.

James R. Perkins


On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 12:05 PM, Adam Glauser <adamglauser@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

I'd have to disagree with the other poster James. Writing a programs to
read and write stream files is really not very difficult, and it can
provide significant benefits over CPY*IMPF and iSeries Access File
transfer.

Jeff Young wrote:

I am comfortable using the System API's to create files on the IFS, but

have not had to read them.

You can use the read() API to read a stream file. See
http://www.scottklement.com/rpg/ifs_ebook/basics.html#OPENCLOSE.

Start with that, and come back if you have more questions. Generally
speaking, I'd say:

1. Figure out how to read data from a string file in chunks of n bytes
(reading one byte at a time is inefficient).

2. Now forget that the data came from a file and process it byte by byte
the same as you would process multi-field data from any other source.

Scott's ebook should give you all you need, but feel free to ask more
questions here. Many questions will already be answered in the archives
of this list.

HTH,
Adam
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