Types of Extract File Format
You can define an Extract file with LDL+ logic in one of the following formats:
Report frame format
Ispec format
Mapper format
The form of the Extract File layout is determined when the Report is generated (not dynamically at run time), and it applies throughout the Report.
Defining an Extract File in Report Frame Format
This form is useful when you want to transfer data in and out of an application. To write the contents of a Frame to an Extract file (in a format defined by the Frame layout), use the Extract command, specifying the Frame. You can set up a Frame particularly for this purpose, if required. This type of Extract file can be used by all programs (including external programs).
You can include constant Display Items, but only after you have defined all your attributes.
Up to 30 different Report Frames might be included in a given Extract File.
The record size of the file is defined by the largest extracted Report Frame.
An extract file in this format can be used by all programs, including Business Information Server. Refer to the Agile Business Suite Programming Reference Manual for more information on the Extract command.
Defining an Extract File in Ispec Format
This form is useful when you want to perform operations internal to your application (such as sorting data without using Profiles). The format of the data record is determined by the structure of the Ispec or event specified in the LDL+ logic. To write Ispec data to an Extract file (in internal Ispec format), use the Extract logic command, specifying an Ispec name.
Any one Extract file can contain either of the following (but not both):
All the attributes from one Ispec. The record size is the Ispec record size.
All the attributes from one or more Event classes. The record size is the Event class record size.
CautionYou receive a build error if you attempt to extract an Ispec that has the same name as a Profile over that Ispec.
Defining an Extract File in Mapper Format
Mapper format might be used with both Report Frame and Ispec formats by using the optional Mapper qualifier in LDL+ logic when reading or writing an Extract file. When used during writing of an Extract file spaces between attributes are removed, and the columns are TAB delimited. Mapper format writes records to the extract file in Business Information Server format.
The frame specified as qualifier is the frame used to provide header records for the extract file. The header included in an extracted frame is that specified by the first Extract logic statement for that file. If the Business Information Server header contains a variable, an error occurs during the execution of the Extract logic statement. Business Information Server header information can be added to the extract file after it is created.
Within your Report, you might include the following logic to extract a Report Frame.
Extract frame Mapper AS x RetainAs file
The frame value is your required Report Frame number, x is the one-character Extract file designator (A through Z), and file is the name of the Business Information Server-format output file.
If you want to extract a Report Frame to a predefined Business Information Server header record use the following logic.
Extract frame Mapper header AS x RetainAs file
Note: If the Business Information Server header contains an attribute, then an error occurs.
You can also extract all the attributes of one Component, or all the attributes of one or more Event records, as for standard (non-Business Information Server) Extract files.
Numeric Attributes in Extract Files
Numeric attributes extracted as part of a Report Frame might have a different format from those extracted as part of an Ispec record.
The default for numeric items in Report Frames is COBOL type DISPLAY. This can be changed to COMP by adding the BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) Data Attribute to the Report properties.
Numeric attributes in Ispecs are always COMP.