Fw: export fixed length file

[Dennis Malen]

I am sending this again as I do not know whether it was received on the 
list.

Dennis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis Malen" <dmalen at malen.com>
To: <filepro-list at lists.celestial.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 5:09 PM
Subject: export fixed length file


> When doing an export on a fixed length ascii file I found that when using 
> two export identifiers (not sure of the terminology) that the use of a 
> second export identifier caused the values to be pushed left even though 
> the respective fields were defined as certain lengths.
>
> The following should give you an idea of what I mean:
>
> 6 ne ""                                                          ~
> met(1)=a&b&c&d&e&f&g&h&i&j&k&l&m&na&o&p&q&r&s&t&u&v&w&x&ya&z     ~
>   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
> 6 ne ""
> met(2)=aa&bb&cc&dd&ee&ff&gg&hh&ii&jj&kk&ll&ma&nn&oo&chr("10");write met
>   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
>
> Above, I had to use met(1) and met(2). This caused only z(30) and aa(27) 
> to be corrupted concerning the lack of its ability to maintain the defined 
> length of the respective fields. In order to fix the problem I had to do 
> the following which was to create two dummy fields that held the value of 
> each line and then send it out as met(1) only. I have not included the 
> processing showing the dummy fields defined as that was not causing the 
> problem.
>
> 6 ne ""                                                           ~
> xx=a&b&c&d&e&f&g&h&i&j&k&l&m&na&o&p&q&r&s&t&u&v&w&x&ya&z          ~
>   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
> 6 ne ""
> yy=aa&bb&cc&dd&ee&ff&gg&hh&ii&jj&kk&ll&ma&nn&oo&chr("10")
>   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
> 6 ne ""                                                           ~
> met(1)=xx&yy;write met                                            ~
>
> The above fixed the problem.
>
> Some of you may not be aware that this approach causes a problem and some 
> of you may have a better fix.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dennis Malen
> 516.479.5912
>