Multi-value Solutions June '97

Back-to-basic: REFORMAT

Nathan Rector

Natec Systems

nater@northcoast.com

http://www.northcoast.com/~nater/

REFORMAT file-name {select list} {item list} outlist

filename: destination-file or tape

The REFORMAT command isn't something that is used often, but when it's needed it's really nice to have. REFORMAT allows you to transfer and reformat information from one file to another.

The "outlist" is the fields that you want to transfer into the new file. Any output becomes fixed data including any correlatives and conversions. For example, if you display numbers or dates in external formats then they are saved in the new file in the external formats.

The first field listed in the "outlist" is the item ID for the fields being transferred.

REFORMAT works exactly like a SELECT statement. It works with GET-LIST and the WITH modifier to help isolate the type of records being transferred into the new file.

Uses for this command include creating temporary data files to help in audits or evaluation of sales data; creating files to be transferred to other systems; or in selling mailing lists. By transferring the information to temporary file, you are able to keep other sensitive or nonessential information from being viewed or saved.

One warning in using REFORMAT. The command is very CPU intensive and may take time to produce results. This command is not one to use to create files on a regular basis. You will see a large performance hit if you do.

Here are what the display fields look like:

LAST.NAME

001 A

002 1

003 Last.Name

004

005

006

007

008

009 L

010 20

DEPT

001 A

002 80

003 Dept

004

005

006

007

008

009 R

010 2

 

DEPTWD

001 A

002 0

003 -

004

005

006

007

008 F;80;(TGL.DEPT0;X;;1)

009 L

010 10

PHRDOL

001 A

002 82

003 Phr

004

005

006

007 MR2

008

009 R

010 6

BIRTH.DAT

001 A

002 5

003 Birth Date

004

005

006

007 D0

008

009 R

010 8

:LIST EMP 754 LAST.NAME DEPT DEPTWD TOTAL PHRDOL BIRTH.DAT

Page 1 EMP 10:07:21 03 Jun 1997

EMP....... Last.Name Dept - Phr Birth Date

754 Rector 00 NONE 13.45 03 Aug

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

*** 80.70

[405] 1 items listed out of 1 items.

 

When creating the reformat statement for the same list statement, you will get the following information:

:REFORMAT EMP 754 LAST.NAME DEPT DEPTWD TOTAL PHRDOL BIRTH.DAT

File Name? TEMP.DATA

 

:ED TEMP.DATA 754

top

.P

001 Rector

002 00]00]00]00]00]00

003 NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE

004 13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45

005 03 Aug

eoi 005

.EX

[220] '754' exited

Multi-value Solutions June '97

Multi-value Solutions June '97

Back-to-basic: REFORMAT

Nathan Rector

Natec Systems

nater@northcoast.com

http://www.northcoast.com/~nater/

REFORMAT file-name {select list} {item list} outlist

filename: destination-file or tape

The REFORMAT command isn't something that is used often, but when it's needed it's really nice to have. REFORMAT allows you to transfer and reformat information from one file to another.

The "outlist" is the fields that you want to transfer into the new file. Any output becomes fixed data including any correlatives and conversions. For example, if you display numbers or dates in external formats then they are saved in the new file in the external formats.

The first field listed in the "outlist" is the item ID for the fields being transferred.

REFORMAT works exactly like a SELECT statement. It works with GET-LIST and the WITH modifier to help isolate the type of records being transferred into the new file.

Uses for this command include creating temporary data files to help in audits or evaluation of sales data; creating files to be transferred to other systems; or in selling mailing lists. By transferring the information to temporary file, you are able to keep other sensitive or nonessential information from being viewed or saved.

One warning in using REFORMAT. The command is very CPU intensive and may take time to produce results. This command is not one to use to create files on a regular basis. You will see a large performance hit if you do.

Here are what the display fields look like:

LAST.NAME

001 A

002 1

003 Last.Name

004

005

006

007

008

009 L

010 20

DEPT

001 A

002 80

003 Dept

004

005

006

007

008

009 R

010 2

 

DEPTWD

001 A

002 0

003 -

004

005

006

007

008 F;80;(TGL.DEPT0;X;;1)

009 L

010 10

PHRDOL

001 A

002 82

003 Phr

004

005

006

007 MR2

008

009 R

010 6

BIRTH.DAT

001 A

002 5

003 Birth Date

004

005

006

007 D0

008

009 R

010 8

:LIST EMP 754 LAST.NAME DEPT DEPTWD TOTAL PHRDOL BIRTH.DAT

Page 1 EMP 10:07:21 03 Jun 1997

EMP....... Last.Name Dept - Phr Birth Date

754 Rector 00 NONE 13.45 03 Aug

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

00 NONE 13.45

*** 80.70

[405] 1 items listed out of 1 items.

 

When creating the reformat statement for the same list statement, you will get the following information:

:REFORMAT EMP 754 LAST.NAME DEPT DEPTWD TOTAL PHRDOL BIRTH.DAT

File Name? TEMP.DATA

 

:ED TEMP.DATA 754

top

.P

001 Rector

002 00]00]00]00]00]00

003 NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE]NONE

004 13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45]13.45

005 03 Aug

eoi 005

.EX

[220] '754' exited