Hi Folks,
In preperation for converting non-profit health care information flat files from a easy delimited structure to a new federally mandated structure that is filled with dozens of loops/groupings, I am getting a temendous headache. My attempts to search for any help in terms of code and/or theoretical process is futile and I feel that help will remain non-existant as this is one of those few things that is too much of a pain all the way around. Basically, this new format is designed in such a fashion where the first several characters of each line in the file indicates what loop/grouping the particular data that follows, on the same line, is designated for. So in reality, instead of this file being a simple easy to import flat file with all lines being of the same delimination/structure, in this particular file, the first few characters of each line that determine what loop/grouping the line is designated for has its own seperate and unique delimination with specefic data solely related to that loop. Furthermore, to make matters even more complex, depending on what loop you are on, that information is to be tied to information for previous loops! For instance, in the end state, this database may be consisting of 200 unique fields; however, to actually and properly populate those 200 unique fields, you must interpret what loop/grouping you are on while piping thru the flat file and contingent on that loop must import the data appropriately for that loop and then determine if that information in that loop is to be appended to complete part of the data in the previous record or is for a new record. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am completely lost on this one.
Thanks,
Joe
In preperation for converting non-profit health care information flat files from a easy delimited structure to a new federally mandated structure that is filled with dozens of loops/groupings, I am getting a temendous headache. My attempts to search for any help in terms of code and/or theoretical process is futile and I feel that help will remain non-existant as this is one of those few things that is too much of a pain all the way around. Basically, this new format is designed in such a fashion where the first several characters of each line in the file indicates what loop/grouping the particular data that follows, on the same line, is designated for. So in reality, instead of this file being a simple easy to import flat file with all lines being of the same delimination/structure, in this particular file, the first few characters of each line that determine what loop/grouping the line is designated for has its own seperate and unique delimination with specefic data solely related to that loop. Furthermore, to make matters even more complex, depending on what loop you are on, that information is to be tied to information for previous loops! For instance, in the end state, this database may be consisting of 200 unique fields; however, to actually and properly populate those 200 unique fields, you must interpret what loop/grouping you are on while piping thru the flat file and contingent on that loop must import the data appropriately for that loop and then determine if that information in that loop is to be appended to complete part of the data in the previous record or is for a new record. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am completely lost on this one.
Thanks,
Joe
