Which is the better File Format

kailas · Post by **kailas** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:35 am

Hi ,

Which is the preffered or better File Format for Files . Is it Fixed Width or Delimited ..??

bart12872 · Post by **bart12872** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:44 am

In my opinion there is no better file format.
Both can be used.

my preference goes to delimited format. the debugging is easier.

bart

ArndW · Post by **ArndW** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:55 am

It is like asking which is the better vehicle - a Porsche or a Chevy van. The answer will depend upon what you want to do with it.

Fixed width files are great for parallel processing (finding the 100th line is a simple matter of mutiplying line length times rows). This quick direct access is not possible with variable length files. Delimited files are smaller since there is no padding done and, as bart as already noted, they are easier to read manually.

keshav0307 · Post by **keshav0307** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:30 pm

The one which work better for the condition.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:14 pm

keshav0307 wrote:The one which work better for the codition.

I have no idea what "codition" means. Can you please clarify this term, ideally with a reference to a dictionary website or similar?

Meanwhile, from a perfomance perspective (and depending absolutely on how good the programmer is) I would prefer fixed width, because extracting/replacing fields is a simple substring (memory move) activity, whereas a delimited format necessitates a scan counting delimiters.

As a "hint" DataStage "remembers" the most recently encountered delimiter where the delimiters are @FM but not otherwise.

Ultimately, though, the best - and only - format for source files is the one that is right for the files "they" send to you.

keshav0307 · Post by **keshav0307** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:21 pm

very bad Ray. you don't have any idea.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:45 pm

That's why I quoted the entry before you edited it!

keshav0307 · Post by **keshav0307** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:01 am

MS word has suggested word and auto correct option, can similar thing be implemented here, so that the typo error can be reduced.

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:46 am

Google Toolbar spell checker, that's what me use online. Too bad not grammar checker two.