Fixed Position Export

[janet K]

Is it possible to export data from a file in a fixed Position Format? I dont believe I can do this in an export. Maybe I can do it in a script, putting all the data into one field and just exporting that one field.

What I want to do is take a tab deliminated file that I get import it into filemaker and take it out in a fixed position format. So that the

Gender is Position 1-2

First Name is Positions 3-10

Last Name is in Position 11-15 and so on.

Any Ideas as to how to do this?

Thanks, Janet

[JerrySalem]

The way I've seen most people do it is just as you described.

Make a calculated field that puts all the data in the right place, taking care to pad the field values so that everything will always line up.

Do an export, and all you need to do is export one field.

good luck!

it isn't hard, just tedious.

Jerry

[Kundinger]

Hello Janet,

YES!!! You can 'export' FileMaker data in 'fixed' length! Use the 'DBF' export option.

WARNINGS!

You will have to 'play' with this to make sure your data is 'exported' properly. If a field has more characters than you expect... then you will have troubles when 'importing' into another system. For example... let's say you design your system with the intention of no more than 12 characters in a 'lastNAME' field, but someone puts in 15 characters... when 'exported', this will create a problem.

You will also encounter troubles when exporting 'DBF' files... they don't include an 'end-of-record' delimitor.

SOME IDEAS...

- check to see if your other system will 'import' 'tab-delimited' files instead of 'fixed-length'

- create field 'validations' to 'warn' users if they exceed the maximum characters allowed

- create a text field with 'auto-enter' a carriage return character... export this as the end-of-record delimitor

- create an 'export' calc field that 'concats' all your data together with an end-of-record delimitor

Hope this helps!!!

Bob Kundinger