Using Text Fields in Output Files

Text fields can be propagated to HOLD and SAVE files that have the following formats: ALPHA, WP, and FOCUS or XFOCUS. However, although a Master File is generated for format ALPHA, you cannot issue a TABLE request against a HOLD file of format ALPHA that contains text fields.

Rules for Text Fields in Output Files

  • You can include as many text fields in the file as needed. However, you must specify text fields after non-text fields in the display list (PRINT..., SUM..., and so forth).
  • You can specify only one text field in the display list, and no non-text fields, in a request that includes an ACROSS phrase.

The following rules apply to missing data for text fields in HOLD and SAVE files:

  • A blank line is valid data. An end-of-text mark indicates the end of the field.
  • If there is no text for a field, a single period (.) followed by blanks appears in the HOLD or SAVE file.
  • If MISSING=ON during data extraction, a period (.) is written out to the HOLD or SAVE file.
  • If MISSING=OFF during data extraction, a blank is written out to the HOLD or SAVE file.

See Handling Records With Missing Field Values.

In environments that support FIXFORM, due to limitations in the use of text fields with FIXFORM, the following restriction applies:

  • When you use the command FIXFORM FROM HOLD, the HOLD file may not contain more than one text field, and the text field must be the last field in the Master File.

When HOLD files are read using FIXFORM, the interpretation of missing text depends on whether the field's designation is MISSING=ON in the Master File, conditional ©) in the FIXFORM format description, or some combination of the two.

Applying Text Field Rules in HOLD Files

The following request extracts data to a HOLD file named CRSEHOLD: 

TABLE FILE COURSE
PRINT COURSECODE DESCRIPTN1
ON TABLE HOLD AS CRSEHOLD
END

The following request prints the data from the HOLD file:

TABLE FILE CRSEHOLD
PRINT *
END

The partial output is: 

COURSECODE
 
DESCRIPTN1
 
AMA130
 
FOR PROJECT LEADERS AND SYS ANALYSTS.
 
AMA680
 
FOR INDUSTRIAL MARKETERS.
 
AMA800
 
FOR MANAGERS AND HUMAN RESOURCE STAFF.
 
BIT420
 
FOR SENIOR MANAGERS. ANALYZE AND IMPROVE
 
BIT640
 
FOR ADMINISTRATOR OF LABOR CONTRACTS.
 
BIT650
 
FOR PROGRAMMERS, PROJECT LEADERS AND
 
EDP090
 
FOR PRODUCTION MANAGERS. TO DELEGATE AND
 
EDP130
 
FOR PROGRAMMERS, PROJECT LEADERS AND
 
EDP390
 
FOR MANAGERS. HELP APPLY MANAGERIAL
 
EDP690
 
FOR EXEC MANAGERS AND MKTG RESEARCH
 
EDP750
 
FOR MARKETING MANAGERS. ENABLE TO
 
MC230
 
FOR PROGRAMMERS, PROJECT LEADERS AND
 
MC90
 
FOR VICE PRES OF SALES AND MARKETING.
 
NAMA40
 
FOR MARKETING VICE PRES AND MANAGERS.
 
NAMA730
 
FOR MANAGERS OF SALESPEOPLE. TO ENHANCE
 
NAMA930
 
FOR FINANCIAL MANAGERS. EXPLORE CONCEPTS
 
PDR330
 
FOR EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES. TO KNOW THE
 
PDR740
 
FOR EXPERIENCED MARKETING MANAGERS. HELP
 
PDR870
 
FOR DESIGNERS AND TRAINING COORDINATORS.
 
PU168
 
FOR MARKETING, PRODUCT, ADVERTISING
 
PU440
 
FOR GENERAL MANAGERS. TO EXPLORE
 
SFC280
  .
  .
  .
 
FOR MANAGERS AND SECRETARIES. HELP