HP OpenVMS Systems

Determining application file format?

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The Question is:

 
I would like to know how to get the file format of a spool file from MCBA
accounting system that is installed/sits in our vax vms system.  This is
required in order to write a program to convert the file into one so that it
can be used on an excel spreads
heet.  MCBA is written in cobol.
 
 

The Answer is :

 
  Please check the MCBA accounting system documentation for information
  and for support for export of data, then check for any provided MCBA
  file record structure definitions, and -- failing that -- contact the
  MCBA accounting system support folks.  The general RMS file format
  itself (eg: indexed, sequential, relative, etc) is readily and obviously
  available (eg: DIRECTORY/FULL, etc), but the specific format of the RMS
  records and the general file structure requirements are entirely and
  completely up to the application.
 
  With sufficient examples of the files (with known file contents), and
  through the use of OpenVMS commands such as DUMP and well as other tools,
  or similar home-grown file formatting tools, and some effort -- and also
  assuming that any applicable software license agreements permit reverse
  engineering -- you could attempt to determine the format yourself.
 

  

     

     
answer written or last revised on ( 12-JUL-1999 )
     
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