LOTUS CONNECTORS

Binary Input Files Using Fixed Length Records
Data in binary files can only be organized as fixed length records. All records contain the same amount of data (number of bytes). With binary files, a record consists of one or more fields of a given fixed length. You specify the fixed size of input binary data records with the record delimiter specification in the Text Connection. Binary input files most closely resemble the text fixed field format. As with the text fixed field format, fields within binary files must exist at the same location and have the same length in every input record.

The next example shows a typical ZID field description for reading IBM host-originated data with Text Connection. Character data from IBM host computers is generally in EBCDIC format. This example shows how the Text Connection can translate EBCDIC characters to ASCII text characters during processing. Note that the Text Connection can also translate packed decimal data, another common format found in IBM host data, to number types.

Type: TYPE TEXT VALUE "Customer"

Idno: TYPE TEXT START 01 END 9 EBCDIC

Name: TYPE TEXT START 10 END 29 EBCDIC

Tel:  TYPE TEXT START 30 END 39 EBCDIC

Balance: TYPE PACKED.2 START 40 END 44

Payment: TYPE PACKED.2 START 45 END 59

Date: TYPE DATE START 60 END 67 FORMAT MM.DD.YY EBCDIC