Exporting Cobol FDA files from MS Access

[KDGreen]

My latest project to to generate files that can be imported to a Mainframe and viewed on the terminal screen. Aside from the samples, I've been told "all they need" is a standard Cobol FBA (or FDA?) file with 133 chr record length.

Is there an easy way for MS Access to generate this kind of file?

 

[GhostWolf]

Assuming that the Access table's field definitions match the expected output format, all you'll have to do is <F>ile, <E>xport, select "Text Files (*.txt...)" as the output format and let 'er go.

If the field definitions don't match, you can create another table that does match, copy the relevant data into this table, then export it.

 

[KDGreen]

Appreciate it!
And if it was simply data that would work.

The samples they sent Me are a fully formatted report with page headers/column headers/lines (like ___________)/Totals and Grand totals.

Is there an easy way to export a REPORT into that format?

 

[GhostWolf]

Good question!

I just tried using <F>ile <Export> with one of my reports to an MS-DOS .txt file: formatting and data remained intact, but the lines, (used to separate report sections), were omitted.

 

[KDGreen]

The COBOL FDAs (from what I'm told) also require a fixed record length.
When I exported the report, any trailing Spaces were trimmed, as were any CR/NL characters. I tried using an RS character (Ascii chr(30)) to hold the record length, but apparently thier system only recognizes the CR/NL characters...

 

[kjv1611]

Is it possible to add a new field at the end of the field list, which would just have the CR/NL characters inserted, so as to provide what Cobal needs? I've no idea if Access will even allow such, but I just figured it may be worth a shot.

Well, this post may be a bit too late...

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me