export to fixed field length?

[Ken Tuley]

So my state department wants some data in a very specific fixed field  
length format. and not all fields are the same length.

What's the procedure for exporting data out that way? Is there a  
better way?

Thanks folks!

Ken

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[Jimmy Jones]

Ken may need to get the state department 'fix',

You could create an XML/XSLT conversion processing to create this  
simple text file. But, I recommend creating a calculation field that  
combines and pads each field to its desired length.

Two new fields:
pad_space (calculation, text) = Quote - 50 spaces - quote
pad_zero (calculation, text) = Quote - 50 zeros - quote

Export_field (Calculation, Text) =

Left ( field1 & pad_space ; 12 ) &
Right ( pad_zero & field2 ; 10 ) &
Right ( pad_zero & Month ( date_field) ; 2 ) & Right ( pad_zero & Day  
( date_field) ; 2 ) & Year ( date_field) &
...

First line shows how to pad with spaces after a text type field.
Second shows how to pad with zero's before a number type field.
Third shows formatting a date value using Month day and year with  
month and day padded. Usually the output for a date field in a run-
length-limited file does not include a separator but you should check  
with the State Department. (LOL)

Get the found set of records to export and export just the  
"Export_field" as a tab-separate-text file.

__________
Regards,
Jimmy Jones
FileMaker 8 Certified Developer

PS. I wrote this from memory so be sure to test it well.

On Jul 22, 2008, at 4:28 PM, Ken Tuley wrote:

> So my state department wants some data in a very specific fixed  
> field length format. and not all fields are the same length.
>
> What's the procedure for exporting data out that way? Is there a  
> better way?
>
> Thanks folks!
>
> Ken
>
> --
> This list is a free service of LassoSoft: http://www.LassoSoft.com/
> Search the list archives: http://www.ListSearch.com/FileMaker/Browse/
> Manage your subscription: http://www.ListSearch.com/FileMaker/
>

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[Ken Tuley]

Thanks Jimmy.... that worked just fine...now if we could fix the state  
department to not need this formatting.


On Jul 22, 2008, at 6:21 PM, Jimmy Jones wrote:

> Ken may need to get the state department 'fix',
>
>
> On Jul 22, 2008, at 4:28 PM, Ken Tuley wrote:
>
>> So my state department wants some data in a very specific fixed  
>> field length format. and not all fields are the same length.

Ken

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[James McAlister]

Though you have this working OK now, Jimmy did mention an XML/XSLT
conversion. Filemaker actually comes with a sample XSL file for doing
fixed width conversions that might prove useful in the future. Look in
the XML examples directory.

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James McAlister
www.james-mc.com
www.BulletinInserts.org


On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 10:07 PM, Ken Tuley <ktuley@...> wrote:
> Thanks Jimmy.... that worked just fine..

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