Xml Layout Wizard

The layout wizard lets you build a XML-Record-Layout from the files contents by clicking on the Fields (Fixed Width). The Layout Wizard can be run as a standalone program or from the Build Layout button on the Xml-Layout:

Layout Wizard

The Record Layout Wizard guides you through creating a record layout using a file as the basis. On all the wizard screens, you can use Left and Right Arrow buttons (at the bottom of the screen) to move between the screens. There are 2 basic groups of Screens:

Fixed Width	Screens for defining Fixed field width Files. See "Field Position screen" and "Field Definition screen".
CSV	Screens for defining a CSV file. See "CSV Details" and "CSV Field Definition"

File Screen

On the file screen you enter file details and the name of the record layout being created. The field Record Types determines wether you travel down the Fixed Width route ("Field Position screen" and "Field Definition screen") screens or the CSV route ( "CSV Details" and "CSV Field Definition").

Fields on the window are:

File Name	Name of the file you are building a layout for
File Structure	How the file is organised. If you are using Standard Windows / Linux Text files leave it as Default Reader
Record Type	This is where your specify wether it is a Fixed Width or a CSV file. It also determines wether you see the Fixed Width screens "Field Position screen" and "Field Definition screen" or the CSV Screens "CSV Details" and "CSV Field Definition".
Record Length	Record Length for Fixed width files (i.e. files where all lines are the same length and there is no line Carriage Return and\or line Feed denoting then end of a record).
Font Name	Font Name of the file (e.g. CP037 for US Ebcidic Characters).
Default Type	What Types Fields to initially assign to a field.

Field Position screen

The second screen displays the file with the fields in alternating background colors.

To create a new field, click on the first column of the field.

To remove a field, click on the first column again

Field Definition screen

The final screen is for defining the field names and field types.

Once all the fields have been defined, click on the right arrow button to define the new layout.

Save Screen

Final screen lets you specify the output directory and the Output Format. I would suggest using RecordEditor XML

CSV Details

On this screen you specify the basic CSV file structure (i.e. field separator; quotes).

Fields on the Screen

Field Separator	Field used to mark the end of one field and the start of the next
Quote Character	Quote character used to surround Text Fields
Parser	Parser used to split lines up into fields. For most files, the Basic Parser is the best to use. But the three parsers provided are: Basic Parser If Field starts with a Quote, it looks for a <Quote><Separator>. It will fail if a field contains <quote><Separator> Matching Quotes For every opening Quote, It looks for a matching closing Quote. Quotes based on fields This is an extension of Matching Quotes. For this type of Parser all text fields will always get quotes around them. This is programs that are very picky about having Quotes around Text fields, Dates (in particular some Databases).
Fields on First Line	Indicates wether the first line of the file holds the field names.

CSV Field Definition

This screen is used to define the fields (columns) in the file.

Convert Layout

Also with Layout Wizard is the Convert Layout utility. It can convert a Layout from one format (say Cobol) to XML. It can also read a sample XML file and write a layout for it.

Following is how to convert a Cobol Copybook to XML. Note: Input Copybook is filled in and Copybook Type is set to Cobol.

To build a layout for a XML file. Note: Sample File is filled in with a XML file and Copybook Type is set to XML.

FFReport at SourceForge

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