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Process Help OUTPUT - output a Datamine file to an ASCII file in a constant format |
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Process Name |
Menu Path |
Link to Command Table |
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OUTPUT |
Data ribbon | Transfer | Text | Datamine File to Text |
Introduction
Outputs a database file to a system character format file.
How to use
The file includes a special version of the Data Definition in front of it. This is used by the INPDDF process to re-read the file back into a database. The format of the file produced is described in the INPDDF documentation. For interfacing with other systems, this Data Definition can be suppressed by setting the @NODD parameter to '1'.
The accuracy of the numeric values output is maintained, as far as possible, using a format which changes automatically with the magnitude of the number. It is therefore possible to output numbers spanning the whole range between the lowest and highest system values.
By default, all fields are output; however, the required fields, and the order in which they are output, can be chosen using the optional fields F1 - Fn. This is helpful if the output file would otherwise be too wide for the system to handle correctly. The maximum permitted width of an output system file is 240 characters, except when exporting to CSV using the faster method described below.
If the database file name is a catalogue file (consisting of a series of file names with a field name of 'FILENAM - note the prefixed apostrophe), then first the catalogue file is output from the database file &IN, and then each file in turn, which is referenced in the catalogue file, is output. The name of each external system file generated will match that of the database file name.
From Studio MR22 Update 1 onwards, a faster method is available when exporting to CSV: this is invoked whenever the @CSV parameter is set to '1', and a catalog file is not specified. Additional parameters allow you to set the number of decimal places for the exported file, and specify whether to export implicit and explicit fields.
Files, Fields and Parameters
Input Files
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Name |
Description |
I/O Status |
Required |
Type |
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IN |
Database file to be output. If IN is a catalogue file, then all files in the catalogue are output. |
Input |
Yes |
Table |
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FIELDLST |
File used to supply selected fields. |
Input |
No |
Undefined |
Output Files
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Name |
I/O Status |
Required |
Type |
Description |
Fields
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Name |
Description |
Source |
Required |
Type |
Default |
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F1 |
Optional first output field. None specified means "all". |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F2 |
Optional second output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F3 |
Optional third output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F4 |
Optional fourth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F5 |
Optional fifth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F6 |
Optional sixth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F7 |
Optional seventh output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F8 |
Optional eighth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F9 |
Optional ninth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F10 |
Optional tenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F11 |
Optional eleventh output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F12 |
Optional twelfth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F13 |
Optional thirteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F14 |
Optional fourteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F15 |
Optional fifteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F16 |
Optional sixteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F17 |
Optional seventeenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F18 |
Optional eighteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F19 |
Optional nineteenth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F20 |
Optional twentieth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F21 |
Optional twenty-first output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F22 |
Optional twenty-second output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F23 |
Optional twenty-third output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F24 |
Optional twenty-fourth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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F25 |
Optional twenty-fifth output field. |
IN |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
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FIELDNAM |
Field in FIELDLST to identify selected fields. |
FIELDLST |
No |
Numeric |
Undefined |
Parameters
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Name |
Description |
Required |
Default |
Range |
Values |
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CSV |
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No |
0 |
0,1 |
0,1 |
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NODD |
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No |
0 |
0,1 |
0,1 |
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DPLACE |
Exporting to CSV only: specify the maximum number of decimal places to export.
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No |
-1 |
-1,5 |
-1,0,1,2,3,4,5 |
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IMPLICIT |
Exporting to CSV only: if no output fields are specified, allows you to either export explicit fields only, or explicit and implicit fields.
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No |
0 |
0,1 |
0,1 |
Notes
The following message is displayed when using OUTPUT with a catalogue file input:
>>> OPERATING ON A CATALOGUE FILE INPUT <<<
Exporting to CSV
The faster export method, described below, is invoked whenever the@CSVparameter is set to '1' and a catalog file isnotspecified.
The following additional parameters can be set:
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@DPLACE - set the number of decimal places used in the output data - for example "@DPLACE = 2" outputs up to 2 decimal places. The default of -1 indicates that the best representation for the magnitude of the data is used.
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@IMPLICIT- if "@IMPLICIT=1", and no required fields have been defined, all table fields are output, including implicit fields. The default is '0'.
When called from a script or macro, more than 25 required output fields can be defined usingF1-Fnfields. These must be defined consecutively, and without gaps – for example,F1,F2,F4would not be allowed, and reading would stop afterF2.
If required output fields are defined, and aFIELDLSTfile is specified, then fields from theFIELDLSTfile are added to the end of those specified using theF1 - Fnoutput fields.
In order to reduce the size of the output file, any trailing zeros (after the decimal point) and trailing spaces after text are automatically trimmed.
The maximum permitted width of 240 characters is not applicable when using this export method.
Example
!OUTPUT &IN(DBFILE)
SYSFILE>\DATAMINE\SYSTEM\ALPHADAT.DAT<RETURN>
Error and Warning Messages
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Message |
Description |
Solution |
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FILE <name> |
To overwrite the existing system file, press <return>. This message is not produced in a macro - the existing file would be overwritten. |
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>>> NO FIELDS TO OUTPUT |
None of the fields specified for output have been found. Fatal; the process is exited. If errors are detected in outputting files under catalogue control (such as database file does not exist), then the next file in the catalogue is attempted. |
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Error: Error opening or reading from FIELDLST filefile_name- the named FIELDLST file could not be opened. |
Faster CSV export method only: the process will continue as though the relevant fields had not been requested. |
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Error: Missing requested field:field_name. |
Faster CSV export method only: a requested output field could not be found in the input file. |
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Error: No requested fields have been found. Process aborted. |
Faster CSV export method only: none of the requested fields could be found. |
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Error: Failed to open input file:file_name. |
Faster CSV export method only: unspecified problem opening or reading from the input file. |
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Error: Could not create an instance of DmTable. |
Faster CSV export method only: an internal error occurred during Datamine file access. |
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Error: Could not create an instance of DmSchema. |
Faster CSV export method only: an internal error occurred during Datamine file access. |
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