PC Delimited File Creation Utility

Many processes require that a file be sent to persons who will use them on a PC. Nost PC-based files require files in a delimited format rather than the mainframe columnar format.

This utility provides an easy way of creating a delimited file. It exists in two formats. The first permits text fields of up to 10 characters to be used. The second permits use of text fields of up to 50 characters to be used.

Information is passed to a formatting program in an array. The formatting program returns a single field of 255 characters (2000 in IS9040E).

Easytrieve Plus

Each routine has an Easytrieve Plus include to define the needed working-storage variables.

Routine	Include Member
IS9040B	LIB9040B
IS9040C	LIB9040C
IS9040E	LIB9040E

When using either routine, you should first blank out the parameter area being used. this will insure that the output area is clean.

The first variable is the text field returned. It contains the delimited file for PC use. The variable is 255 bytes. If your expected return field is more than 255 bytes, you must break the process into multiple pieces. For IS9040E, this field is 2000 characters in length.

The second variable is a 1 character field. Programmatically assign to it the delimiter you want used in the output file.

The third variable is an array with 100 occurrences. For IS9040A, each occurence is 10 characters in length, 50 characters for IS9040C and 250 occurrences for IS9040E. Place data in each array element that you wish to have in delimited format in your output file.

The fourth variable differs between the two routines. For IS9040B, this is a numeric array. Each array element represents the length the IS9040A routine found and used for the corresponding element in the third variable. For IS9040C and IS9040e, it is the total length of the returned, delimited, text field (first variable).

The routines are used as follows:

For IS9040B: CALL IS9040B USING HLINK
For IS9040C: CALL IS9040C USING HLINK
For IS9040E: CALL IS9040E USING HLINK

where HLINK is the variable containing the four variables described above. HLINK is the name used in the INCLUDE members.

Programming Notes

All variables sent to the routine are in text format. If you want any special formatting done, it must be done before invoking the routine. The routine will, as a standard practice, strip trailing blanks. It will also put a delimiter after the last element.

If you are dealing with numerics, you must do your own pre-formatting. Most PC programs will want

leading blanks stripped
leading zeroes stripped
a negative number to have the sign in front of the value
an explicit decimal point (if one is needed)

For an alphanumeric field, you should also do your own pre-formatting. Most PC programs will want

leading blanks stripped
trailing blanks stripped
The entire field enclosed in quotation marks ("...")

When the routine finds a blank field, it will assume that no additional values follow. If you need a blank field, enter it as "".

Normally it is fine to output a fixed-length file. The lengths that are returned can be used if you need to output a file with variable-length records.

Easytrieve Plus Example

    ...
    ...
    ...
     HNAME            W      030 A
     HSTREET          W      030 A
     HSTATE           W      002 A
     HZIP             W      005 A
     OUTREC           W      255 A
    %LIB9040C
    ...
    ...
    ...
  MOVE SPACES TO HLINK
  HL2 = ';'
  HL3 (1) = HNAME
  HL3 (2) = HSTREET
  HL3 (3) = HCITY
  HL3 (4) = HSTATE
  HL3 (5) = HZIP
  CALL IS9040C USING HLINK
  MOVE HL1 HL4 TO OUTREC 255
    ...
    ...
    ...

OIT--Applications Support

Last Modified: Tuesday, 22-Oct-2002 09:08:59 CDT