Designer 10.7 | webMethods Service Development Help | Working with Flat Files | Creating Flat File Schemas | Specifying a Record Parser | Specifying a Fixed Length Record Parser for the Schema
 
Specifying a Fixed Length Record Parser for the Schema
Use a fixed length record parser when each record is of a fixed length (for example, mainframe punch or print records). This parser splits a file into records of the same pre-specified length.
*To configure a fixed length record parser
1. In Package Navigator view, double-click the flat file schema that you want to configure. The flat file schema opens in the flat file schema editor window.
2. In the Record Parse Type area, select Fixed Length.
3. In the Record Length field, enter the length, in characters, of each record in the flat file.
4. Specify the following fields:
a. Field or composite
Property
Description
Character
Optional. Character that separates fields or composites in a flat file document.
--OR--
Character position
Optional. Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the field delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 4 as the character position, you have indicated that the field delimiter appears in the fifth character position from the beginning of the document.
b. Subfield
Property
Description
Character
Optional. Character that separates subfields in a flat file document.
--OR--
Character position
Optional. Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the subfield delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the character position, you have indicated that the subfield delimiter appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.
c. Quoted release character
Property
Description
Character
Optional. Character used to enable a section of text within a field to be represented as its literal value. Any delimiter characters that appear within this section will not be treated as delimiters.
For example, your field delimiter is (,) and your release character is “. When you want to use (,) within a field as text, you must prefix it with your quoted release character. When using the convertToValues service to create the strings Doe, John and Doe, Jane, the record would appear as “Doe, John”,“Doe, Jane”. When using the convertToString service to create “Doe, John”,“Doe, Jane”, the value of the record would be Doe, John and Doe, Jane.When using the convertToString service, if you have specified both the Release Character and the and the Quoted Release Character, the Quoted Release Character will be used.
--OR--
Character position
Optional. Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the quoted release character for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the character position, you have indicated that the quoted release character appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.
d. Release character
Property
Description
Character
Optional. Character used to enable a delimiter to be used for its intended, original meaning. The character following the release character will not be treated as a delimiter. For example, your field delimiter is + and your release character is \. When using + within a field as text, you must prefix it with your release character. When using the convertToValues service to create the strings a+b+c and d+e+f, the record would appear as a\+b\+c+d\+e\+f. When using the convertToString service to create a\+b\+c+d\+e\+f, the value of the record would be a+b+c and d+e+f.
--OR--
Character position
Optional. Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the field delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the character position, you have indicated that the field delimiter appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.
5. Next, set the record identifier for the schema. See Specifying a Record Identifier.