Conversion File Layouts#
The Interface file is created containing your legacy data. This must be an ASCII format file. You must write the program that reads your legacy data and formats it according the requirements shown below.
Run the SQL*Loader utility providing the control file that identifies the file structure. Those records that are missing mandatory fields will be discarded into another file Note that any other program may be written to access your data and write the interface tables directly.
The software Conversion Application will read the files successfully loaded into the interface tables, validate the data contained therein and import them into the software data structures.
Records successfully imported are deleted from the interface table, leaving only those records that have errors.
A utility screen is provided to facilitate the easy correction of the data in error.
Reading the Interface File Layouts#
Fields marked as REQUIRED must have a value in the import file, or they will be rejected by the database. Fields that are CONDITIONALLY REQUIRED are only required when the condition identified in the field text is met.Fields marked as VALIDATED must have a valid value in the import file, or the import process will reject them. Note that any validated fields that are not mandatory may be left as NULL or empty.
Fields marked as DERIVED will have a value for them derived, if the value provided is NULL. Read the individual field descriptions to see what the default derivation is.
You do not have to provide data for any field that is not marked as mandatory. The value will be NULL and there will be no validation of the data.
Validated fields must have the data they are validated against entered or imported first.
The field length indicated in the field description is the maximum length.
Field length for numeric fields includes the decimal point and the maximum number of decimals indicated.
Fields identified as lexicons may use their low value (index value) or descriptive name as the field value.
Dates must be provided in the date format DD-Mon-YYYY unless you override the default date format in the SQL Loader control file.
Effective date files may leave the EFFECTIVE date null, and it will default to the “beginning of time” date.
Effective date files may leave the EXPIRY date null, and it will default to the “end of time” date.
Effective date files that have records with different effective dates will cause “date-splitting” to occur.
Fields with a default value specified will inherit that default value if no value is provided on the interface file.
Take note of defaulting capabilities. You may leave fields blank and inherit the default values set up only if you provide sufficient information to find the default values.
All “code” fields are shifted to upper case automatically, as they are loaded into the Interface tables.
The control file provided separates fields by commas, and fields may be enclosed in quotes.
If a field contains a comma (such as names or descriptions) then that field MUST be enclosed within quotes.
If you place two commas beside each other (,,) then the field in the middle is treated as NULL. This has the same effect as placing double quotes beside each other (,””,).
If you are unable or unwilling to create a comma-delimited file, you may modify the supplied control file in accordance with instructions found in the Oracle Utilities reference manual.
See the Using SQL Loader page for more information on the SQL LOADER utility.
