Compare two files, Not matched come out of comparision

suzeet · New User Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 54

Hi,
I have two files F1 and F2 and the files are 80 bytes of length and Fixed block. Both the files contains 5 bytes Employee number starting from 1st position.
My requirement is compare F1 and F2 on employee number and if there is a unmatching record then comeout of comparision and write F1 file. And if both the files matched, then don't write anything.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 12:44 pm

why not search Yourself the forum
there are gazillions of examples/snippets that do just that.

Pandora-Box · Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 1:41 pm

Search the forum on JOINKEYS

Bill Woodger · Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 1:49 pm

You want to compare two files on a key: if they are different, you want to write out the entire content of F1; if they are the same you don't want to do anything?

suzeet · New User Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 54

Yes Bill. I want to compare two files on a key: if they are different, you want to write out the entire content of F1; if they are the same you don't want to do anything.
But here is the twist. I don't want to read all the records of F1. Suppose I have 100 records in F1 and 20 Records in F2. And First record of F1 don't have a matching key in the entire file of F2, then I don't want to process further. Come out of comparison (donot want to compare 2nd record of F1 with F2) and write F1 as it is.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 2:59 pm

OK. Can't be done with SORT. You'll need a program then. If you say which language you'd like to use, I can move the topic.

Seems a strange requirement, but it is certainly a killer. Is it the case that most of the time the files will not match?

Just as a suggestion for your program, why bother to copy the F1? Why not just set a Return Code, and use the original F1 later as "the copy". Doesn't seem to be much point in a plain copy.

suzeet · New User Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 54

Thanks Bill. I was just enquiring is it possible in SORT or not. I will code it thru Cobol. That will be easy for me and will take care of your suggestion. Thanks again

suzeet · New User Joined: 16 May 2005 Posts: 54

And yes, most of the times the file will not match. No need to move it into COBOL forum