Defining a Flat File Data Structure

recordSeparator

Separator of the different records, normally line feed and carriage return. For serialized files, any other character can be defined.

any character or one of

C Syntax

Character (Dec.)

<newline>

<esc>

\x1B

27

<newline>

Parses correctly on Unix and Windows platforms.

\n

10

<space>

32

<tab>
<tabulator>

\t

9

<unixnewline>

Composes newline.

\n

10

<windowsnewline>

Composes newline and carriage return.

\r\n

13, 10

escapeCharacter

Defines the character used for escaping when a reserved character is used within a field value.

any character

/

quoteCharacter

The quoteCharacter will be ignored by reading field value.

any character

/

fillCharacter

Defines a dummy character to fill non-existent values (results in NULL). Used for fixed property layout only.

any character

0

reservedCharacters

Defines a list of characters to be escaped automatically when the file is composed.

any character

{"/", "%", "&", "(", ")"}

composeEmptyAttributes

Controls whether empty trailing attributes of data segments will be written during composition.

true/false

pattern

A pattern to identify the record. The pattern is checked before the fields are separated. If no pattern is defined, all records will be parsed.

a valid regular expression

^Pattern.*

attributeLayout

Defines the property layout of the flat file record.

fixed

Fixed property layout. For property values that are shorter than the maximum length of the field, the field is filled with a fill character. As per default, this is blank space, but you can change the fill character in attribute fillCharacter of the FlatFile class (see the Attributes of the FlatFile class above).

separated

Separated property layout. Specify the separator using attributeSeparator (see below).

pattern

Property layout is specified by a RegEx pattern in attributePattern (see below).

attributePattern

A RegEx pattern to parse the record content into the properties using capture groups.

a valid regular expression

^(.?)(://)([A-Za-z0-9.])(:[0-9])(/.)$

attributeSeparator

Defines the property/field separator.

any character

Use the specified character as property separator.

Comma (,)

Use the comma (,) as property separator.

<Tab>

Use tabulator as property separator.

ignoreEmptyRecords

Boolean value for ignoring empty records. If set to true, no item will be generated, if none of the defined properties or sub records have any content.

Note, that a record containing only empty Strings is not empty – in opposition to a record composed from NULLs. See ignoreEmptyStrings below to skip processing of records containing only empty Strings.

true

Ignore empty records.

false

Process empty records.

suppressEscaping

Boolean value to suppress escaping. If suppressEscaping on a FlatFileRecord is true, FlatFileComplexAttribute that are part of this record will inherit this setting.

true

Property values of this record will not be un-escaped (parser) or escaped (composer) (default).

false

Escaping/un-escaping is not suppressed.

composeMacro

A macro that is executed while parsing/composing a file or complex field.

This macro can contain multiple commands separated by commas or spaces. Macros on classes are executed before the processing of its properties or associations. The ID represents a counter.

The following counters are available:

• eight automatic counters with ID AUTO0 .. AUTO7

• two automatic line counters with ID LINE0 and LINE1 (parsing only)

• unlimited custom counters with ID CUSTOM0 .. CUSTOMx

Automatic counters are increased by 1 for each processed record. Custom counters have to be increased manually using the increase macro. All counters have the initial value of 0 when they process the first record.

For more details on macro commands see Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File.

any valid macro expression (see Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File)

GetCounter(AUTO0)

parseMacro

lineNumber

Specifies the number of a record in the file. The first record is lineNumber=1, the second lineNumber=2, etc.

any integer

evaluationOrder

Defines the order in which the association of the classes starting on same parent class must be processed.

any integer

ignoreEmptyStrings

Boolean value for ignoring empty string properties. If set to true, empty string values will be processed to NULL.
Use this attribute in combination with ignoreEmptyRecords to skip processing of records containing only empty Strings.

true

Ignore empty string values.

false

Preserve empty string values.

suppressEscaping

Boolean value to suppress escaping.

parseMacro

A macro that is executed while parsing/composing a file or complex field.

This macro can contain multiple commands separated by commas or spaces. Macros on classes are executed before the processing of its properties or associations. The ID represents a counter.

The following counters are available:

• eight automatic counters with ID AUTO0 .. AUTO7

• two automatic line counters with ID LINE0 and LINE1 (parsing only)

• unlimited custom counters with ID CUSTOM0 .. CUSTOMx

Automatic counters are increased by 1 for each processed record. Custom counters have to be increased manually using the increase macro. All counters have the initial value of 0 when they process the first record.

For more details on macro commands see Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File.

any valid macro expression (see Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File)

GetCounter(0)

composeMacro

format

Pattern for formatting numeric and date & time values. For details see Number Formatting respectively Date and Time Formatting Patterns.

order

The evaluation order of the properties. If offset is not used, order reflects the field number within the record.

any integer

offset

The relative position of the field in respect of the other fields in the record, e.g. field number 3 has offset = 2.

any integer

suppressEscaping

Boolean value to suppress escaping.

true

Property values of this property will not be un-escaped (parser) or escaped (composer) (default).

false

Escaping/un-escaping is not suppressed.

parseMacro

A macro that is executed while parsing/composing a file or complex field.

This macro can contain multiple commands separated by commas or spaces. Macros on classes are executed before the processing of its properties or associations. The ID represents a counter.

The following counters are available:

• eight automatic counters with ID AUTO0 .. AUTO7

• two automatic line counters with ID LINE0 and LINE1 (parsing only)

• unlimited custom counters with ID CUSTOM0 .. CUSTOMx

Automatic counters are increased by 1 for each processed record. Custom counters have to be increased manually using the increase macro. All counters have the initial value of 0 when they process the first record.

For more details on macro commands see Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File.

any valid macro expression (Using Macro Expressions on Parsing or Composing a Flat File)

GetCounter(0)

composeMacro

padding

Defines the padding rule for the field from the left or right side.

left("<any character>")

right("<any character>")

• Parsing: Ignore the specified character from the left/right side to the first different character.

• Composing: Fill the property from the left/right side to the first different character using the specified character.

left("0")
right(" ")

format

Pattern for formatting numeric and date & time values. For details see Number Formatting respectively Date and Time Formatting Patterns.

any valid number or dateTime pattern

S9G999G990D00

%Y.%m.%d-%H:%M:%

order

The evaluation order of the properties. If offset is not used, order reflects the field number within the record.

any integer

offset

The character position of this field within the record.

any integer

externalLength

Number of characters of the field (only for fixed length records relevant).

any integer

Flat File

ProductList

FlatFile

-

Defines the flat file structure ProductList.

Flat File Record

Header

FlatFileRecord

attributeLayout

fixed

Specifies the header record as to be structured by fixed lengths.

composeMacro

ResetCounter(AUTO0)

Reset the automatic counter AUTO0 when this record is composed.

evalutationOrder

1

Evaluate this record first, before evaluating the product records.

lineNumber

1

This header record is the first record in the file.

Product

FlatFileRecord

attributeLayout

fixed

Specifies the product record as to be structured by fixed lengths.

evaluationOrder

2

Evaluate this record second, after evaluating the header record.

Flat File Property

line

FlatFileAttribute

composeMacro

GetCounter(AUTO0)

This property is set from the automatic counter AUTO0.

externalLength

5

This property has a length of 5 characters in the record.

order

10

This property is the first property in the record (as all other properties have a higher order).

Use two-digit numbers for order. This way, the record layout can easily be updated, and you can easily fit an additional property somewhere in between.

number

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

5

This property has a length of 5 characters in the record.

order

20

This property is the second property in the record.

name

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

20

This property has a length of 20 characters in the record.

order

30

This property is the third property in the record.

category

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

20

This property has a length of 20 characters in the record.

order

40

This property is the fourth property in the record.

type

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

10

This property has a length of 10 characters in the record.

order

50

This property is the fourth property in the record.

price

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

10

This property has a length of 10 characters in the record.

order

60

This property is the sixth property in the record.

format

FM0000000.00

The price should be formatted like specified, e.g. 0000065.50.

padding

Left("0")

The price should be filled with zeros from the left side, e.g. 0000065.50.

serviceInterval

FlatFileAttribute

externalLength

5

This property has a length of 5 characters in the record.

order

70

This property is the seventh property in the record.

padding

Left(" ")

The service interval should be filled with blanks from the left side, e.g. "   52".