RE: Question Re: Piping and Redirection

[dennis.e.lovelady@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi, JT:

The essential difference, if I understand the question, is that the data
is not in character form.  Binary fields, for example, do not play well at
all when the program/filter/whatever reading them is expecting plain text.
 For example, awk is going to have a REALLY tough time finding, say, the
value 12 in a packed field, particularly if awk isn't told about packed
fields.

Yes, one could conceivably convert these fields before sending to the pipe
(ala file transfer's (not FTP's) "convert to text" set of features).
Knowledge of the data format would, of course, be required, and for that
you'd need to access the file header and all that yuck yuck.  But, yeah, a
"power cat" could be created, if that's your question.  Then you'd need a
"power grep" and "power awk" and ... well, you get the idea.

If I misunderstood your query, please forgive.  I think I've reached my
word quota for the day anyway.  :)

Dennis E. Lovelady
AIM: DELovelady





"jt" <jt@ee.net>
Sent by: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
11/19/2002 03:53 PM
Please respond to midrange-l


        To:     <midrange-l@midrange.com>
        cc:
        Subject:        RE: Question Re: Piping and Redirection

| [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Hans Boldt
| Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 8:40 AM

<snip>

|
| On the other hand, the stream model works very nicely for files
| involved with programming, such as program source files and scripts,
| make files, html documents, etc.
|
| Cheers!  Hans  (4 days to go before my LOA! :-)

Hans,

You mean I only have 4 more days to get my licks on Ya...?  LOL...!
(Hopefully...)

But I would beg to differ with the above...


Also, my understanding was that even the iSeries version of DB2 handled
variable character data, as well as graphic, bitmap and all that...
Question to anyone is:  What are the ESSENTIAL differences between those
field types and a stream file...?  (If necessary, could You not convert
those back-and-forth TO stream files, and use the *nix-type-a
commands...???)


Cheers, as well, and (in case I don't wail on Ya anymore...;-), GOOD LUCK
with whatever Yer doin...!  jt