RUNNING REFORMAT [ HP Data Entry and Forms Management System (VPLUS/V) ] MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation
HP Data Entry and Forms Management System (VPLUS/V)
RUNNING REFORMAT
Once the reformat specifications have been defined and are stored in a
compiled reformat file, you can run REFORMAT to actually reformat the
data in the batch file and write it to the output file.
REFORMAT is not an interactive program. That is, it does not prompt for
any information. It is usually run as a batch job, though it can be run
from a terminal directly or as a "streamed" job.
REFORMAT needs the names of three files: the "reformat" file containing
the reformat specifications, the "batch" file containing the data to be
reformatted, and the "output" file to which the reformatted data is
written. To specify these files, use MPE :FILE commands before running
REFORMAT, as follows:
:FILE REFENTITY =reformatfile
:FILE BATCH=batchfile
:FILE OUTENTITY =outputfile
For example, assuming a reformat file named REF1, a batch file named
BAT1, and an output file named OUT1, the following commands are needed to
run REFORMAT:
:FILE REFENTITY =REF1
:FILE BATCH=BAT1
:FILE OUTENTITY =OUT1
:RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
These file equations show the required files for running REFORMAT. You
will also probably want to list the reformatted data and, if you are
running REFORMAT from a terminal, you will want error messages listed on
the line printer rather than on the terminal screen.
A list of the reformatted data is very important when you run REFORMAT
the first time, so you can see whether your reformat specifications are
doing what you expect. To list reformatted data, include the file
TESTLIST in the file equation that sends the listing to the line printer:
FILE TESTLIST;DEV=LP
Another important file, particularly when you are running a session, is
the error message file. This file REFLIST normally is written to
$STDLIST. Since $STDLIST in a session is the terminal, you may want to
equate this file to the line printer with the command:
:FILE REFLIST;DEV=LP
Concatenating Batch Files
Data from a batch file can be appended to data from another batch file in
an existing output file by issuing the following commands:
:FILE REFENTITY =reformatfilename
:FILE OUTENTITY =outputfilename
:FILE BATCH=firstbatchfilename
:RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
These commands will run REFORMAT using the three files specified in the
:FILE commands. Next, issue the following commands:
:FILE OUTENTITY =outputfilename;ACC=APPEND
:FILE BATCH=secondbatchfilename
:RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
The outputfile now contains the reformatted data from the first and
second batch files.
Using a User-Defined Command
You may want to combine the three :FILE commands required to run REFORMAT
into one user-defined command (UDC). You enter a UDC through a text
editor, as follows:
REFORMAT REFSPECS, DATA, OUTPUT=$STDLIST
FILE REFENTITY =!REFSPECS
FILE BATCH=!DATA
FILE OUTENTITY =!OUTPUT
FILE REFLIST;DEV=LP
FILE TESTLIST;DEV=LP
RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
Use the SETCATALOG command to set the UDC.
The UDC definition is recorded by the MPE :SETCATALOG command. Now, all
you need to do in order to run REFORMAT, is to enter the following
command:
:REFORMAT reformatfilename, batchfilename, outputfilename
Suppose your reformat file is named REF1, your batch file is named BAT1,
and your output file is OUT1, run REFORMAT as follows:
:REFORMAT REF1, BAT1, OUT1
Streaming REFORMAT
You may also want to stream REFORMAT. You must first create a text file
of the commands to run the job through a text editor, and then issue the
MPE :STREAM command to actually run the program. For example:
!JOB USER.ACCOUNT
!FILE REFENTITY =REF1
!FILE BATCH=BAT1
!FILE OUTENTITY =OUT1
!FILE TESTLIST;DEV=LP
!FILE REFLIST;DEV=LP
!RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
!EOJ
To stream this job, assuming you named the text file REFSTREM, use the
following command:
:STREAM REFSTREM
In many cases, a streamed job is part of a group of streamed jobs. When
REFORMAT is part of a series of program executions, you should precede
the RUN REFORMAT command by a MPE :CONTINUE command. Otherwise, any
fatal error in REFORMAT (such as an inappropriate file name) prevents
subsequent programs from executing. For example:
!JOB
!FILE...
!FILE...
!FILE...
!CONTINUE
!RUN REFORMAT.PUB.SYS
!SPLGO MYPROG
!EOJ
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MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation