Chapter 10: Overview of Working with Data Files

This chapter provides an introduction to the tools that Net Express provides to help you create and maintain application data files on your PC.

The chapter provides information on:

• The tools available

• How to control the behavior of the tools by changing certain settings

10.1 Introduction

Net Express offers the following tools to help you create, maintain and convert data files:

• Data File Editor:

  You can create data files of various types. Then, use the Data File Editor window to create and delete records and to view, edit and print data. Search tools are provided also. For more information, see the chapter Editing Data Files.

• Data File Converter:

  You can convert between file organizations and formats. You can convert between EBCDIC and ANSI and, in doing so, convert floating-point formats. You can change the record length. You can restructure data, for example from sequential to indexed organization. For more information, see the chapter Converting Data Files.

• Record Layout Editor:

  You can create and maintain the record layouts that enable you to edit and convert formatted data. You can define one default record layout and one or more conditional record layouts. You can also use record layouts to specify which data items to convert when converting between ANSI and EBCDIC. For more information, see the chapter Using Record Layouts with Data Files.

• Fix File Index:

  You can rebuild the index of a corrupt indexed file or rebuild a corrupt catalog. Also, you can validate or reorganize an indexed file. For more information, see the chapter Rebuilding Indexed Files.

Collectively, these tools are referred to as the Data Tools. For an introduction to using the Data Tools, we recommend that you work through the chapter Maintaining and Creating Data Files in your Getting Started.

For detailed instructions on using the Data Tools, see the help provided in the Net Express online help. (Click Help Topics on the Help menu. Then, on the Contents tab, double-click Development Environment, Working with Data Files.)

---

Note: You cannot use the Data Tools with Btrieve files.

---

10.2 Configuring the Data Tools

Net Express provides general settings that let you control the way that the Data Tools behave. To change or view the settings, click DataTools on the Options menu.

You can:

• Select the default character set to be either EBCDIC or ANSI

• Specify what to use, such as nulls or spaces, to pad records for EBCDIC and ANSI. You can select a different padding byte for EBCDIC and for ANSI.

For information on settings that affect the Data File Editor specifically, see the section Configuring the Data File Editor in the chapter Editing Data Files.

10.3 Configuring Codesets

Using the Codecomp utility, you can create customized mapping tables for EBCDIC/ANSI character set translation. Net Express has built-in support for a number of character sets. For more information, see the Net Express online help. (Click Help Topics on the Help menu. Then, on the Index tab, search for codecomp.)