Parsing data file

[Ballycroy]

I have got a data file (see attached) from a very old DOS system (someone told me that it is over 26 years old).

I need to parse the information from this data file, and make it available for viewing purposes only in Filemaker.

The data file will be updated every 30 mins.

I am able to do this with scripting by searching for each number in the "f1" field, perform an export and then import into different tables.

Lines numbered in "f1" as 321 are tied together as line items

Line 1 = (field f8 is the account number- not unique in the data file) (Name, Address Phone etc.) (field f9 in line 2 also contains the account number).

Lines 3 and 2 = fields f8 and f10 are matches and unique in the data file (all this should be in the same record).

Is there any other way to parse this data out other than the script method detailed above.

Picture_4.pdf

[Lee Smith]

I don't see a lot of consistency in the data from your screen shot. It appears that the export might have skipped any fields that were empty.

Since FileMaker will import different file Formats, I would first try all of them to see if I could not improve the results. For a list, and their descriptions, search the online help for [color:blue]Supported import/export file formats.

If you have access to the original application, you could try exporting the data in each of the file formats available, however, if it has a text format export, text is usually your best bet.

HTH

Lee

[Ballycroy]

Hi Lee

Just an update:

The export is a tab-delimited text file.

The screen-shot that is shown is after opening that tab delimited file using Filemaker.

What I have been advised to do is create 3 additional tables.

Do a find for all items that have 1 in the f1 field and import those found records into table 1.

Do a find for all items that have 2 in the f1 field and import those found records into table 2.

Do a find for all items that have 3 in the f1 field and import those found records into table 3.

Then start relating the records from the various tables.

Additionally the records containing 1 in the f1 field is the client information and may contain many duplicates.

So i will have to find and delete those duplicates.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Guest