Conference orarep::nomahs::repository

1054.0. "Decompressing files " by ORAREP::SIOG::M_CRONIN () Mon Feb 24 1997 05:29

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Note 198.0              Datatrieve to decompress files ?               2 replies
SIOG::M_CRONIN                                       15 lines  17-FEB-1997 07:15
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    Hi,
    
    A customer has files that were compressed by COBOL using CDD
    definitions. They want to be able to decompress them.
    
    What do you need to know about the file and how it was created in order
    to be be to do this ?
    
    They believe Datatrieve will do this. Is this the case ? Are there
    other alternatives ?
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Mary.
          
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Note 198.1              Datatrieve to decompress files ?                  1 of 2
QUARK::LIONEL "Free advice is worth every cent"       4 lines  17-FEB-1997 10:00
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I think I'd start by asking in the ORAREP::NOMAHS::REPOSITORY (CDD) notesfile.
This doesn't really relate to the operating system.

				Steve
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Note 198.2              Datatrieve to decompress files ?                  2 of 2
AUSS::GARSON "DECcharity Program Office"             22 lines  17-FEB-1997 20:41
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    re .0
    
    My knowledge doesn't extend as far as knowing what you mean. Has the
    customer given the full picture?
    
    You need to find out what really compressed the files. Was it the
    LIBRARY command (or callable DCX?) in which case this conference is
    the right place? Is this some feature of COBOL in which case try the
    COBOL conference? Is this standard RMS compression in which case you
    don't need to do anything with the files although a judicious CONVERT
    could probably remove the compression?
    
>    What do you need to know about the file and how it was created in order
>    to be be to do this ?
    
    The customer should know this.
    
    Let's say that the customer has a file and they can't remember how it
    was created (e.g. staff turnover) and it doesn't seem to contain the
    data that they expect then it sounds as if we should be getting paid
    for sorting out the mess but I would start with DIR/FULL and
    DUMP/REC:COUNT:3 (or some other small number) for the file in question.
    

>    A customer has files that were compressed by COBOL using CDD
>    definitions. They want to be able to decompress them.
    
    While it is possible to write a program to compress a file using COBOL, 
    using CDD with it would not make sense. More likely they have created a
    file and have forgotten how it's records were defined.
    
>    What do you need to know about the file and how it was created in order
>    to be be to do this ?
    
    It sounds like they need the record definitions, which were stored in
    the CDD. The program used to write the file will show which definition
    was used.
    
>    They believe Datatrieve will do this. Is this the case ? Are there
>    other alternatives ?
    
    If you have the CDD record definition for the file, then DATATRIEVE can
    use that information to interpret the file. So can VMS SORT, and the
    Oracle Rdb Transparent Gateway to RMS.
    
>    Let's say that the customer has a file and they can't remember how it
>    was created (e.g. staff turnover) and it doesn't seem to contain the
>    data that they expect then it sounds as if we should be getting paid
>    for sorting out the mess but I would start with DIR/FULL and
>    DUMP/REC:COUNT:3 (or some other small number) for the file in question.
    
    This is the way to go if they have lost the definitions.
    
    Peter