Record Edit

  • Getting Started
  • Editing a Csv Files
  • Editing Fixed Width Files
  • Editing a Xml Files
  • Editing Cobol Files
  • Supplied Programs
  • HSQLDB Version

    System Features

    Starting

  • Starting the Record Editor
  • Viewing a Binary File
  • Supplied Sample Files

  • Record Edit

    Welcome to the RecordEditor, I hope it is useful. If you:

    Like the Editor

    Please help promote the RecordEditor (i.e. rate it on Software download sites, write a review etc). After all the more people who use the editor, the more people will end up supporting / enhancing the editor

    Do not like the Editor

    Let me know at RecordEditor Source Forge forum. Both positive and Negative feed back is useful.

    If you have any comments, problems, suggestions and Feature Requests, please use the Forums at Sourceforge:


    RecordEditor Source Forge forum
    Bug Reporting
    Feature Request

    I generally start a forum (on SourceForge) for changes to the next version, feel free to contribute. The next version is may contain:


    Getting Started

    The main File Editor is called Full Editor in the Menu created by the installer. The RecordEditor comes with several sample files, It is probably worth editing several of them to get a feel for the Editor. When you start the Full Editor, the File field should hold the sample file directory.

    Editing a Csv Files

    For Csv (Delimited) Files, Start the Full Editor and select Generic Csv - Enter Details for the Layout; then enter the required details when prompted.

    If the file does not have names on the first line, you could also use Layout Wizard. This wizard will guid you through creating the Layout for the file. It will allow you to select columns by pointing and clicking on them.

    Editing Fixed Width Files

    The easiest way to start editing your own Fixed width Files is to use the Layout Wizard to create the Record-Layout for the file.

    The wizard will let you define the fields by pointing to them

    Editing a Xml Files

    For Xml Files, Start the Full Editor and select Xml - Build Layout for the Layout.

    Editing Cobol Files

    To Edit Cobol Files you have to options:

    1. Import the Cobol Layouts into the RecordEditor and use the RecordEditor (FullEditor)

    2. Use the Cobol Editor. The Cobol Editor is not tested as well as the RecordEditor and is not as good with multiple record Files.

    To import a Cobol copybook select menu item Record Layout >>>> Load Cobol Copybook

    Then update the following screen

    A couple of things to be aware of:

    Binary FormaT

    This is effectively the Cobol Dialect being used (Mainframe, Open Cobol etc).

    File Structure

    This is similar to RECFM=... on the mainframe. This is where you tell the Editor How the file is organized. Options available are Text IO (byte based) - Files with Carriage Returns, Fixed Length Binary - Fixed Length Files.

    After Loaded

    Back on the File open screen after the Cobol copybook has been loaded, You will need to hit the Reload from DB to use your new layout.


    Supplied Programs

    Following are a list of programs supplied with the RecordEditor package.

    Full Editor

    Main File Editor

    Layout Editor

    Program to edit Record Layouts (which are used by the RecordEdit to help display the Data Files). The Record Layouts can be

    1. Entered into the front-end screens.
    2. Loaded from Cobol Copybooks

      Note: The system uses the package cb2xml to convert Cobol to XML. This package still has a few issues.

    3. Load from XML Copybooks (as produced by cb2xml).

    Record Editor

    Cut down file Editor, should start quicker over networks / on old Computers.

    Cobol Editor

    Experimental File Editor where record layouts are stored as Cobol copybooks. At this stage you are better off using the Full Editor program.

    Edit Properties

    Program to edit the RecordEditor Startup properties

    RecordEditor - Velocity

    Program to test formating files use RecordEditor layouts and Velocity.

    Note: Velocity must be instaled seperately and installed into the RecordEditor using the Edit Properties program.

    Following are a list of documents supplied with the package

    Record Editor Manual

    Main RecordEditor Manual.

    HowTo

    Basic how to examples.

    CobolEditor Documentation

    Very Basic documentation on the CobolEditor.

    Examples

    Java Examples of interfacing with / extending the RecordEditor.

    Diff1

    File Compare Utility

    Copy

    File Copy utility

    Please review the help documentation Record Edit

    Note: On Windows, to start using the RecordEditor you should do one of the following

     
     
    


    HSQLDB Version

    Warning The RecordEditor Instillation program will install a HSQLDB server into your Windows start-up directory (so the DB server will start automatically when you Start Windows). It is perfectly safe to remove HSQLDB Database server from the Windows Start up directory. But to use the RecordEditor, you will need to start the server manually.

    This version uses the Open Source Database - HSQLDB as its backend Database. To use the system, the Database Server must be started (should happen automatically on Windows version when you start Windows). If the Database is not started you will get an error message like

    DataBase Connection error: socket creation error
     
    

    You may find it useful to have a SQL client. If so the connection details are
    Driver&Install_Directory\lib\hsqldbmain.jar
    URL (Connection String)jdbc:hsqldb:hsql://localhost/recordedit


    System Features

    Record-Editor features:


    Starting


    Starting the Record Editor

    The Record Editor can either be started from

    When the Record Editor starts, it displays the Edit Start Screen

    Fields on this screen are

    Field

    Description

    File

    Name of the file to edit, you can select a file by using the Find File button to the right.

    Database

    The system stores it's record definitions in a database. The system can also connect to multiple Databases. This Combo allows you which DB to use. You could have different Test / Production Layout DB's.

    System

    The Record Layouts can be grouped into different systems. This Combo Box is used to select a specific System.

    Record Layout

    The Record Layout used to format the file. Only layouts belonging to the selected System (above) are displayed.

    Note: A Record Layout describes the format of a file, each layout consists of either

    • A series of fields.
    • A serious of record (which intern consist of a series of fields).

    Buttons on the Screen

    Button

    Description

    Choose File

    Start the File Chooser dialogue which will navigate the File system and the user to choose a file.

    Reload

    Reloads System and Record Layout details from the database.

    Layout Wizard

    Start the Record Creation wizard. This wizard displays the file and lets you select the fields (by clicking on the first character in the field). See for more detail.

    Note: This option is only available in the Full Editor.

    Create Layout

    Bring up the Record Layout Creation screen. See for more detail.

    Note: This option is only available in the Full Editor.

    Edit

    Edit the file.

    Browse

    View the file, but no changes are possible.


    Viewing a Binary File

    In jEdit a binary file like a 4680/4690-Register price change file looks like

    Table View - Binary file

    While in the RecordEditor Table-View, binary fields are converted to there text equivalent. It looks like

     
    


    Supplied Sample Files

    In the $IntallDirectory/SampleFiles there are a number of example files for you try out the Editor.


    File System Record Layout
    Ams_Receipt.txt AMS ams Receipt
    Ams_PODownload_20050101.txt AMS ams PO Download
    Ams_PODownload_20041231.txt AMS ams PO Download
    Ams_LocDownload_20041228.txt AMS ams Store
    Ams_Shipping_04DEC03190126.txt AMS ams Shipping Upload
    Ams_Shipping_04DEC02190132.txt AMS ams Shipping Upload
    Ams_Shipping_04DEC01190125.txt AMS ams Shipping Upload
    Ams_VendorDownload_20041229.txt AMS ams Vendor Download
    Pos_Spl_1.bin POS SPL
    Pos_Spl_2.bin POS SPL
    Pos_Price_2.bin POS Price
    Pos_Price_1.bin POS Price
    DTAR119_keyode.bin Mainframe DTAR119
    DTAR020.bin Mainframe DTAR020
    DTAR107.bin Mainframe DTAR107
    DTAR192.bin Mainframe DTAR192
    sampleEbcdicNew.bin Mainframe Mainframe FB80