We are currently converting revelation 2.1 into a sql 7.0 db.

I am wanting to find out what the file layout is: field headings, byte position, type of field (alpha, numeric, crammed, etc.), and record length.

ie. Employee Name/Bytes 1 - 30/Alphanumeric

   Employee Number/Bytes 31 - 34/Numeric

   Termination Date/Bytes 35 - 38/Julian Date Format

I am unfamiliar with arev and need help. The particular file I am trying to find is labled payroll_master. If you have the answer I would love to hear what it is.

The answer is never straightforward with this type of conversion, as AREV can sometimes be normalised differently to SQL tables. For example, AREV can have a list of values in a field, a list of subvalues in each value, a list of text fields in an subvalue, and so on.

So tables you join under SQL may actually physically kept in a sole record in AREV. This depends on ow "flat" your application design is, and it varies in each case.

In side your application, Hit F5 to bring up TCL (command line) and then enter the instruction LISTDICT PAYROLL.MASTER

This gives you the columns (I'll call them employee.code payroll.date location payroll.element payroll.hours payroll.amount gross.pay tax banked.pay fieldname1 fieldname2 fieldname3 etc) available to report.

Then from TCL, LIST PAYROLL.MASTER employee.code payroll.date payroll.location payroll.element payroll.hours payroll.amount gross.pay tax banked.pay fieldname1 fieldname2 fieldname3

Once you can see this, you can trap this output to file in the following manner. From TCL issue the following 3 statements

PDISK c:\myfile.txt

LIST PAYROLL.MASTER employee.code payroll.date payroll.location payroll.element payroll.hours payroll.amount gross.pay tax banked.pay fieldname1 fieldname2 fieldname3 (P)

PDISK PRN

Now inspect c:\myfile.txt with a text viewing utility or import into a spreadsheet to examine the results. This may involve further manipulation on your behalf, but it is the general principle.

You would be well advised to recruit the services of an AREV contractor for a day or two to assist with the export if the above steps are inadequate to get you a clean / normalised data set.

Hope this helps,

Steve Smith

[email protected]

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