Detecting a layout

[mo0926]

Hello, I hope someone can help with this. Any way we can detect an input file's layout before performing the next operation. Let's say the vendor sends a monthly file but sends it with two different layouts without warning. How can I ask the compiler to make a decision based on the input layout with ECL code?

[rtaylor]

mo0926,

It's not the compiler, but the runtime that needs to know.

You write your code to handle either, then you could read the first 32K of the file with a RECORD structure like this:

Code: Select all

rec := RECORD
  DATA1 char;
END;

and do some heuristics to detect which format you've got.

HTH,

Richard

[Allan]

Also read up section
'RECORD Structure' in the ECL reference manual.
In there you'll see an
IFBLOCK construct you can use in a RECORD layout.
This IFBLOCK is a run time action conditional on content of preceding fields in the same record.

Yours

Allan