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Merge 2 ASCII Files

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    Merge 2 ASCII Files

    So...

    In A5V11, I created, successfully, 2 ASCII files - a ABCHDR and ABCDTL file. They are flat and TAB delimited.

    What is the easiest/best way to get these 2 files joind so that the records are essentially... H, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, .... etc ?

    Any input would be greatly appreciated, as always !

    Thanks,

    Lar

    #2
    Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

    Huh?

    It might help if you tell us something about the source tables, and any linking field values that may be present. How are the two ASCII files "related"?

    Are you trying to create an ASCII version of the composite table created by Alpha Five when browsing a set containing two tables joined with a one to many link? If so give me credit for a correct wild guess!

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

      sounds like two sorted files and an inner and outer loop with output to the same target file. Sounds like a good entry for the puzzle forum.
      Al Buchholz
      Bookwood Systems, LTD
      Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

      Occam's Razor - KISS
      Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
      Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
      When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
      "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
      Albert Einstein

      http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

        1-Tab delimited? or comma delimited?
        2-Not sure what H, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, .... etc means?
        3-Joined into one ASCII file? or a dbf file?

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

          Larry,

          We have a similar situation, where we need to export payment info to an external financial package (SOLOMON).
          WHat we did was to create a table with an account identifier field, record type fireld (hdr, detail), then a VERY large text field. We would create the header records with the text field being what it should look like (comma separated data), then build the detail data in the same manner. Once the records are created, we set the index to account,record id, and then export only the text portion. This has been working for us for years.

          Tom

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

            G.,

            1. I previously said that they were TAB delimited
            2. This is what we used to identify a HEADER record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, etc.
            3. ASCII

            Thanks,

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

              Yep,

              I was going to do this, and have done it before, but I thought there might be, and I'm sure there are, a "few" lines of XBASIC that would join the files less painlessly.

              Lar

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                Originally posted by nugget3825 View Post
                G.,

                1. I previously said that they were TAB delimited
                I know you did, but in the output you desire, they are comma separated.
                At any rate, it sounds like you want to flatten a set in an ASCII file.
                This should give you a hint:
                One way, if this is already a set, flatten it and export it as an ASCII.
                If not:
                Then the question remains: what is the common denominator between the header and the detail file?
                It would be best if you could provide an example for both files.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                  Originally posted by nugget3825 View Post
                  So...

                  In A5V11, I created, successfully, 2 ASCII files - a ABCHDR and ABCDTL file. They are flat and TAB delimited.

                  What is the easiest/best way to get these 2 files joind so that the records are essentially... H, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, .... etc ?

                  ...
                  - if as you said you created two flat ASCII files and then want to join them I cant figure what you are asking
                  If you really want to just join them no problem - or do you want to merge them ?
                  Or else you have disconnected header and details into two separate ascii files and now want to connect them back together in matching order?
                  - why not create one ascii the way you want to start with while they are in correct sequence? If you don't know how then maybe that is the question you want to ask... makes it much easier.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                    I'm with G. More details. I do see what you are looking for, but it'll help explain so we all stay on track.
                    Al Buchholz
                    Bookwood Systems, LTD
                    Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                    Occam's Razor - KISS
                    Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                    Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                    When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                    "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                    Albert Einstein

                    http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                      Try this
                      Attached Files
                      Andrew

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                        Isn't Solomon designed to work with MS Office? Couldn't you create your set based report in Alpha and open it in Excel? And go from there...
                        Robin

                        Discernment is not needed in things that differ, but in those things that appear to be the same. - Miles Sanford

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                          Originally posted by nugget3825 View Post
                          G.,

                          1. I previously said that they were TAB delimited
                          2. This is what we used to identify a HEADER record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, followed by a DETAIL record, etc.
                          3. ASCII

                          Thanks,
                          Larry

                          followed by a DETAIL record - means on the next line of the file to me. Is that what it means to you or does it mean header and detail(s) on the same line and then a new header starts a new line?

                          ie

                          ha
                          da
                          hb
                          db
                          db
                          db
                          db

                          or

                          ha,da
                          hb,db,db,db,db
                          Al Buchholz
                          Bookwood Systems, LTD
                          Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                          Occam's Razor - KISS
                          Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                          Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                          When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                          "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                          Albert Einstein

                          http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                            Robin,

                            The routines were designed and running many years before Microsoft decided to buy Solomon. They work, so why change them?

                            Tom

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Merge 2 ASCII Files

                              Hi Tom H.,
                              I guess I missed why Larry is doing this. It sounded like maybe he IS doing something similar to your example. But who knows? To me the why is often what determines the how.
                              Robin

                              Discernment is not needed in things that differ, but in those things that appear to be the same. - Miles Sanford

                              Comment

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