Defining External Definition files

External definition files store the record and field layout information for a data file in an external file. Analytics can parse the external definition file for the necessary field information and create an Analytics table layout. The Analytics table layout is then used to read the data file directly, without creating an Analytics data file (.fil).

Define an AS400 FDF file

You can define Analytics tables from AS/400 file definition files. This type of file stores field formatting information in an external file, separate from the data file. Analytics uses the formatting information to create an Analytics table layout and reads data directly from the data file.

  1. Select File > New > Table.
  2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
  3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select Other and click Next.
  4. In the Select External Definition Source page, select AS400 FDF and click Next.
  5. In the Select AS/400 FDF file to convert dialog box, locate and select the external definition file to use and click Open.
  6. In the AS/400 Conversion page, click Next.
  7. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
  8. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to your project and click OK.
  9. If the associated data file (.dat) is not found, you are prompted for the file location. In the Locate Data File <filename> dialog box, locate and select the required file and click Open.

Define a Cobol or PL/1 file

You can define Analytics tables from Cobol copybook files or PL/1 files. Both types of files store field formatting information in an external file, separate from the data file. Analytics uses the formatting information to create an Analytics table layout and reads data directly from the data file.

  1. Select File > New > Table.

    The first page displayed in the Data Definition Wizard depends on your configuration. If integration with Analytics Server is enabled the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, otherwise the Select Local Data Source page is displayed.

  2. If the Select Platform for Data Source page is displayed, select Local and click Next.
  3. In the Select Local Data Source page, select Other and click Next.
  4. In the Select External Definition Source page, select Cobol or PL/1, as appropriate, and click Next.
  5. In the Select External Definition(s) page, complete the following steps:
    1. Do one of the following:
      • Select an existing definition file or data set from the External Definition drop-down list.
      • Click Browse, locate the definition file or data set in the Select File to Convert dialog box, and click Open.
    2. Complete one of the following steps to select either a single definition or multiple definitions:
      • Add an individual definition to the Selected Definitions list by selecting the definition in the Available Definitions list and clicking the right-arrow button, or by double-clicking the definition in the Available Definitions list.
      • Add multiple definitions by selecting the Do you want to concatenate multiple selected file definitions? checkbox, and then select each definition to add and click the right-arrow button, or click Add all to add all of the definitions listed in the Available Definitions list.
    3. Click Next.
  6. In the Select Conversion Properties page, select either or both of the following properties, as necessary, and click Next.

    Remove leading file indicator from field names – If a prefix is specified before each field name, it will be removed from the field name added to the Analytics table layout. For example, Test-Field1 would have the prefix Test- removed.

    If this checkbox is not selected, any prefix values identified will be included in the field name with the hyphen converted to an underscore (i.e. Test-Field1 will be added as Test_Field1).

    IBM Variable Length – If the data file being processed is an IBM variable length file, the record length is not specified in the Analytics table layout.

  7. In the Final page, verify the settings for the new Analytics table and click Finish.
  8. Enter a name for the Analytics table you are adding to your project and click OK.
  9. If the associated data file is not found, you will be prompted for the file location. Complete the following steps to locate the file:
    1. If the Select file location dialog box is displayed select Client to select a file that is accessible from your computer, or select Server and select the server profile to use to access a server file, and click OK.
    2. In the Select file dialog box, locate and select the data file and click Open.