INDATA Process

To access this process:

  • Data ribbon >> Data Tools >> Text Utilities >> Input CSV with Existing DD.
  • Enter "INDATA" into the Command Line and press <ENTER>.

  • Display the Find Command screen, locate INDATA and click Run.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Enters free-format data (i.e. with the data items separated by commas) from the keyboard or from a system character file external to the database.

A data definition must already exist, and is read from file &IN. Any Datamine file may be used as a data definition. This defines the names of the fields, whether the field is numeric or alphanumeric, and if alphanumeric, the length. It also defines each fields default value, and if a field is an implicit or explicit field.

The records in the &IN file are not used (so a block model or a prototype model copied from a block model without records would produce the same result.

The new file is written to &OUT. If &IN and &OUT are the same name then the new data will replace any that may exist in the old (an "in-place update"). Otherwise a new file is created, leaving the old file intact.

Note: Data records may not start with the character "!". This is because the ! symbol acts as the end-of-data character. However, macro files, where the command starts with !, may be read if a blank is inserted prior to the ! symbol.

Input Files

Name

Description

I/O Status

Required

Type

IN

File containing Data Definition.

Input

Yes

Table

Output Files

Name

I/O Status

Required

Type

Description

OUT

Output

Yes

Table

File to be created (may be same as IN; if it is, then original data in file is overwritten).

Example

!INDATA &IN(INPROTO),&OUT(DATAFILE)

SYSFILE><return>

DATA >12.6,DATA1234,15,10,9,ABC,X<return>
DATA >11.2,,15,10.3,8,","<return>
DATA >11.6,DATA5678,15,18,,<return>
DATA >!<return>

Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

>>>  SYSTEM FILE DOES NOT EXIST <<<

 The named file does not exist. Fatal; the process is exited.

>>>  NOT A NUMBER <<<
>>>  ERR 57 <<< (numbposn) IN STRDCD

An illegal Datamine number has been entered. Warning; the record is ignored.