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Re: Files are Flat?
It is so interesting to see how the meanings of terms change as the method
of education changes.
Here is a definition that is closest to what I grew up with:
A Flat File is a file containing records that have no structured
interrelationship.
X12 is a perfect example where each record (segment) has to be parsed
differently. Some flat files are record position dependent as in record 1 is
parsed one way, record two another. The "beauty" of the X12 flat file format
is that the parsing can be determined by the first "element" in each record
(I liked to call it element zero) which defines the record type.
The alternatvie is a Structred File where each record is parsed in the same
way. It can be fixed length or variable with delimiters. For me, these can
be variable or fixed in length but each "element" position is of the same
type. Generally, relational databases work in this manner...well, at least
at the interface level, with database servers, the underlying format is
hidden from the user and the structured manner comes through in the API.
Regards,
Todd Gould
Technical Support
Loren Data Corp.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hurd, Richard [SLCUS]" <
To: <
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 10:10 AM
Subject: [EDI-L] Files are Flat?
>
> > Also, X12 is most certainly NOT a flat file. Flat file
> > typical implies fixed
> > field fixed record length. Rather, X12 is a data stream or
> > binary file of
> > ASCII text characters, except of course, if one uses a
> > transaction with the
> > BIN segment and flops into the BIN non-ASCII files, such as
> > image files, CAD
> > files, etc.
>
> Not from where I sit. X12 most certainly IS a flat file.
>
> A flat file, to me, is one that can be viewed and interpreted using a text
> editor or other basic tool without the use of the creating program.
That's
> even imperfectly said. I'll have to come up with a better definition
later.
> :)
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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