Dataloader/MP Reference Manual

Specifying File-Related Options for DataLoader/MP
DataLoader/MP Reference Manual—424148-003
4-2
Interpretations
Interpretations
An interpretation specifies the overall manner in which the contents of a file are to be
handled. If you do not specify an interpretation, each read moves a bit-for-bit copy of
the next record into the program’s memory or, on output, places a copy of the record in
the program’s memory into the file. However, if you do specify an interpretation, the file
system does not merely move the bit pattern into, or out of, the program’s memory.
Instead, it views the data differently according to the specified interpretation.
For example, suppose there is a file called file1 whose contents are:
ABCDED
F12345
A734
By default, a program opening and then reading file1 would expect to receive three
records: ABCDED, F12345, and A734. But there could be other ways of interpreting
these records. For example, they might be hexadecimal representations of the data to
be read. Reading file1 with this interpretation would give a first record whose
characters would be hexadecimal AB, CD, ED, and so on for the following two records.
Another interpretation is that ABCDED, F12345, and A734 are actually names of other
files. Reading file1 with this interpretation would yield all of the records contained in the
file named ABCDED, followed by the records in file F12345, finally followed by the
records in the file named A734.
Interpretations are described following. An open of a file can have only one
interpretation. The interpretation for a file, if it has one, can appear anywhere in the
feature list.
BROADCAST
The BROADCAST interpretation directs the file system to treat the contents of the file
as a list of file names. These file names can themselves have DataLoader/MP
features. The file must be an edit file.
When a record is written to a file that has BROADCAST interpretation, the file system
writes the record to every file listed in the BROADCAST file.
This interpretation is available only in NM DataLoader/MP.
CSV
The CSV interpretation directs DataLoader/MP to treat the data in the file as
comma-separated values. If specified for input, comma-separated values are
translated into records. If specified for output, records are translated into comma-
separated values. The CSV interpretation has the following format: