How to update the sequential file having same records.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

Hi,
I have first created a sequential file in the program. The file has unique as well as multiple records based on contract id. For same contracts, different payments of different amount is present. Now, I need to read the last record for amount under same contract and then have to move the amount of this record into the first record of this payment and move zeroes for the amount for other records of this contract.
Here is an example: (line number increases for same)

Contract Amount line-no.

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:07 pm

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

Initially I gave like (Then it is not reading the file itself and going in loop).

Read input file

move contract id into contract id hold

PERFORM xxxx-READ THRU xxxx-EXIT
UNTIL contract id NOT EQUAL contract id hold

If matches

move contact id in contract id hold

xxxx-READ

Read input file into temp file.

xxxx-EXIT

Bill Woodger · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:21 pm

Is this something you need to do to create the file, or is it a subsequent update?

I've manage to avoid ever having to close and re-open a file in the same program.

Store all the data relating to a contract in working storage (your payments and any other multiple records must be in tables). On change of key on input, do whatever is necessary. Write them all out. Set up for the new contact. Repeat until End. At End, don't forget to flush-out the last contract.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

This is a subsequent update once the file has been created. I am reading this file in the working storage only (but not in table). I was thinking of reading record one by one until matches and then rewrite the file.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:19 pm

If you apply the method above, you'll get it done without any odd close/opens etc. Thing to watch is how many of the records you can have in the table(s). Usually the system design should have covered how this would happen.

One file in, remains unchanged throughout the process. Main output file will be input to following run. If you try to change the input file, you'll give yourself more "housekeeping" and mess as well as making the program more complex. If you try to close/open the output you'll get all sorts of mess with that.

Keep It Simple Studiously.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

since, the file get changes daily on run, not sure what maximum limit of the occurs value should be defined.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:33 pm

You might not be, but it should be somewhere in the design...

If not, your system is just not going to fly anyway :-)

Ask boss/analsyst/spec-writer/designer/tea lady etc until someone can tell you.

If it is a somehow vast number of records (presuming that it is not often more than one payment will be made in a day, and rare that payments happen every day, that should put a limit of 365 per year of data held, which you'd be quite secure with. So call it 500 per year of data, it's only program storage).

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:57 pm

why maintain the line no's for a contract that are larger than the first,
with no amount?

are line no's always contiguous and start at 1?
what is the significance of line no?

seems to me, a sort,
that would sum the amounts for a contract
and
either count or use the highest line no
thus outputting one record per account
would be a solution to your problem.

there is no need on earth to justify keeping the zero amount records.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

right, if same contract is present multiple times, then each contract will be assigned with the line number sequntially increasing and the total amount of all these records should appear in the first record.

can you give me some idea (psuedo code) how I can use the line number to get the highest amount which is always present in the last record. Just need to get this amount and write in the first record. rest records to be updated with zeroes.

Thanks.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:25 pm

give me a good reason to output zero-amount records.

Jose Mateo · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:12 am

Good afternoon to all!

Dick has a point. You could also sort the file by contract number in ascending order and the sequence number (the field after the amount) by descending order. Then process the file by taking the amount of the first record and save it. Zero the amount and on all of the following records with the same contract number. When there's a break on contract number write the previous record with the saved amount. Do the same logic with the rest of the contract numbers. After processing all the records you could then sort the file again to it's original order.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

Hi Jose,

I have the sorted file now with amount at the top. Do I need to use the array concept here or I can get it without using it. I am directly using the If else logic and but not getting the desired result. The value in all of the records for same contract is getting zero except for the line one where the amount is as it is and not getting updated with the first amount. I don't want to use the array concept here as I am not very good at it.

Could you please help me out. Thanks.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:38 pm

why do you need to output zero-amount records?

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

Dick, this is the requirement in my project.

Akatsukami · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:05 pm

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

could any one help me on this.Please.

Nic Clouston · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:55 pm

Array concept? In COBOL? Do you mean table as COBOL does not have arrays? If you do then you had better become familiar with it asap or give up programming.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:30 am

You could sort on Contract, Ascending, Line, Descending.

In your program, save the first value for a contract in W-S. Set amount to zero, write the record. For the same contract, set all others line amounts to zero and write until you get Line number one. Put the saved amount on that record and write it.

Sort on Contract, Ascending, Line, Ascending.

Do you have other data on the records? Is that why you want to keep the zero values?

If you don't have to keep the zeros (with the data you have shown they have no meaning except the line number, and the highest/next line number could always be held "somewhere"), it is even more simple. Ignore all the lines except the last for a contract, and set that line number to 1 before writing it. You could add the values of those you are ignoring and confirm that the last is the correct value (I would).

Tables are nothing to be afraid of. If you are unsure about them, get some practice with them., enough until you are sure about them You are going to need them many, many times.

faizm · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 59 Location: India

Bill, I used the way you told. Perfect, I am able to resolve the issue. Thanks.

Thank you all

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