VB record format ? space saving challenge

rmano · New User Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 2

Hi,
We use VB record format to process huge files. Record lengths vary from about 400 to 4000.
There is a fixed area of 100 bytes and remaining are variable and its length is indicated by a length field.
The file layout has multiple arrays. However, the arrays is populated only 1/3rd in most cases.

Is there any way to save the unused array space?. Currently what we did is ?placed the largest size array at the end of the record and write out only the actual array. This saves the unused space of the last array but other ?interior? arrays are still wasting space.

Thanks for the help in advance.

DavidatK · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 2:09 am

rmano,

Does the file need to be read directly? or are you willing to use a subroutine to read/expand and compress/write the file, where the compressed file would not be easily read by say, FILEAID?

How much space, on an average do you expect to save per record?

Dave

rmano · New User Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 2

Dave,
Thanks.
Fileaid is heavily used here.
Any space saving will be good.