Re: Validating input file

jeff wrote:
> I have a input rec coming from a customer that is defined as
>
> FD  DISCFILE.
> 01  DISC-REC               PIC X(129).
> 01  DISC-REC2 REDEFINES DISC-REC.
>     03  DISC-RECR OCCURS 129  PIC X.
>
> It is a comma-delimited file with 16 fields (15 commas). I need to
> check and make sure that each line is only 129 characters and I assume
> 1 LF. What would be the best way to accomplish this?

First, look at the file with a hex editor to validate your assumptions.

The usual purpose of a comma-delimited file is to dispense with imbedded 
blanks (else the file would have been defined as fixed length in the first

place).

I suspect the file, if really comma-delimited, will NOT be a uniform 129 
bytes.

Going back to your question, what will you do if the record is NOT 129 (or

130) bytes?

Assuming a variable length record, made up of variable length fields, your

code should look like:

READ DISCFILE
UNSTRING DISC-REC DELIMITED BY ',' INTO
  FIELD-1
  FIELD-2
  FIELD-3
  ...
  FIELD-15