Variable-Length Wizard

Variable-Length Wizard is a wizard to use the drag operations to create a variable-length read format definition.

= Remarks =

Refer to Variable-length text files for details about variable-length files.

Launching Variable-Length Wizard

You can click Variable-Length Wizard in the properties for the Read Variable-Length File operation to launch Variable-Length Wizard.

Screen elements of Variable-Length Wizard

Numbering in the figure	Name	Description	Remarks
(1)	Structure definition	Defines structures of a variable length file to be read. A variable-length connector reads files according to this definition.	The structure definition is a tree structure which has the Root icon as a root element.
(2)	Column list	Configures the structure of output data. The settings here allow you to retrieve only the data you need.	Elements set in the structure definition can be added to the column list. The column list has the same structure as the table model type. Refer to Table model type for details about the table model type.
(3)	Group		Groups are shown as blue icons.
(4)	Record		Records are shown as green icons.
(5)	Field		Fields are shown as yellow icons.

Right-click menu

Name	Description	Remarks
Add Group	Adds a group.	Right-click on Root to display this.
Add Record	Adds a record.	Right-click on Root or Group to display this.
Add Field	Adds a field.	Right-click on Record to display this.
Copy	Copies the selected element.	Right-click on Group, Record, or Field to display this.
Cut	Cuts the selected element.	Right-click on Group, Record, or Field to display this.
Paste	Pastes the selected element.	Right-click on Root, Group, or Record to display this.
Properties	Shows the definition dialog of the selected element.	Right-click on Group, Record, Field under the structure definition, or on Field under the column list to display this.
Delete	Deletes the selected element.	Right-click on Group, Record, Field under the structure definition, or on Field under the column list to display this.

Structure definition configuration

The structure definition defines data formats when a variable length file is read.

Group configuration

To configure a group, follow the steps below.

Select Add Group in the right-click menu for the structure definition icon.

Configure properties in the Group definition dialog.

Item name	Required/Optional	Description
Group name	Required	Enter a name of the group.
Occurrence	Required	Enter the number of occurrences of the group. You can enter the number when Limited is selected. Limited Sets a limit for Occurrence. Enter the number of occurrences of the group. Unlimited (Default) Sets no limit for Occurrence.
Omittable	Optional	Select whether to omit the settings of Occurrence. Selected (Default) Omits the settings of Occurrence. Not selected Enter the number for Occurrence.

Item name

Required/Optional

Description

Remarks

Group name

Required

Enter a name of the group.

Occurrence

Required

Enter the number of occurrences of the group.

You can enter the number when Limited is selected.

Limited

Sets a limit for Occurrence.

Enter the number of occurrences of the group.

Unlimited

(Default)

Sets no limit for Occurrence.

Omittable

Optional

Select whether to omit the settings of Occurrence.

Selected

(Default)

Omits the settings of Occurrence.

Not selected

Enter the number for Occurrence.

Click the Finish button to add the group to the structure definition.

Record configuration

To configure a record, follow the steps below.

Select Add Record in the right-click menu of the structure definition icon or the group icon.

Configure properties in the "Record definition" dialog.

Item name	Required/Optional	Description
Record name	Required	Enter a name of the record.
Occurrence	Optional	Enter the number of occurrences of the record. You can enter the number when Limited is selected. Limited Sets a limit for Occurrence. Enter the number of occurrences of the record. Unlimited (Default) Sets no limit for Occurrence.
Omittable	Optional	Select whether to omit the settings of Occurrence. Selected (Default) Omits the settings of Occurrence. Not selected Enter the number for Occurrence.

Item name

Required/Optional

Description

Remarks

Record name

Required

Enter a name of the record.

Occurrence

Optional

Enter the number of occurrences of the record.

You can enter the number when Limited is selected.

Limited

Sets a limit for Occurrence.

Enter the number of occurrences of the record.

Unlimited

(Default)

Sets no limit for Occurrence.

Omittable

Optional

Select whether to omit the settings of Occurrence.

Selected

(Default)

Omits the settings of Occurrence.

Not selected

Enter the number for Occurrence.

Click the Finish button to add the record to the structure definition.

Field configuration

To configure a field, follow the steps below.

Select Add Field in the right-click menu for the record icon.

Configure properties in the Field definition dialog.

Item name	Required/Optional	Description	Remarks
Field name	Required	Enter a name of the field.
Field type	Required	Specify a type of the field. Available types are as follows: String (Default) Numeric Date Tag

Item name

Required/Optional

Description

Remarks

Field name

Required

Enter a name of the field.

Field type

Required

Specify a type of the field. Available types are as follows:

String

(Default)
Numeric
Date
Tag

Click the Finish button to add the field to the structure definition.

Column list configuration

The column list defines an output format for the data to be read in the structure definition.

Adding elements

To add an element to Column list, drag it from the Structure definition tree to Column list.

= Remarks =

Only fields can be added to the column list.
When you select and drag a group or a record onto the column list, the fields in the group or record are added to the column list.