Dataloader/MP Reference Manual

Creating a Customized Version of DataLoader/MP
DataLoader/MP Reference Manual—424148-003
5-31
Generating Test Data
If you need more names, you could make the middle column represent a middle initial,
with one of 26 unique values. This step raises the number of unique combinations to
73,918,338 (421 * 26 * 6,753). If this is not enough, you can duplicate the last name
field in the middle name field, giving 6,753 middle names and 19,198,866,788 (421 *
6,753 * 6,753) unique combinations. In addition, you could add first or last names or
even add a title column to the field.
DataLoader/MP has two utility procedures to support Cartesian fields:
•
The first, DTLCartAddCol, lets you specify how many columns are in a given
Cartesian field, the order of the columns, and the file that contains the list of values
that each column can take on. Call DTLCartAddCol once for each column in each
field; call it from the INITIALIZE1 or INITIALIZE2 user exits.
•
The second procedure, DTLCartGenerateField, returns the next combination of
values for the specified field. You would call it from GETNEXTRECORD.
DataLoader/MP includes a number of data files suitable for use with the Cartesian field
procedures. The file AAINDEX in the DataLoader/MP subvolume contains a short
description of each data file. You are not limited to using the data files included with
DataLoader/MP; you can use data files you created yourself.
Cartesian fields also let you control the distribution of values in a field. Suppose you
have a field that should contain the letter X 50 percent of the time, the letter Y
40 percent of the time, and the letter Z 10 percent of the time. You have a number of
ways to achieve this, but one easy way by using Cartesian fields is to have a single
Cartesian field with one column. Associated with the column is a file that contains 50
percent Xs, 40 percent Ys, and 10 percent Zs.
DTLCartAddCol
This procedure adds a column to a Cartesian field.
The syntax for this procedure follows:
Field
is a value from 1 through 10 that specifies the field to which the column is to be
added.
Name
is the name of a file that contains the values the column will contain, with one value
per record.
Shuffle
is a flag that indicates whether the contents of Name are to be returned in a
randomized way by DTLCartGenerateField or whether they are to be returned in
the order they are in the file. A nonzero value causes them to be returned in a
void DTLCartAddCol( short Field, char* Name, short Shuffle );