File Conversion
Program
Time to complete This is a tough one. Allow 6 hours continuous.
Program Download FileConv.Cbl is a model answer. Don't look at this until you have made your own attempt at the program.
Example Output

SClients.Dat (The sorted clients file)

Error.Dat (The error file)
Example Input

Clients.Dat (The unsorted Client-Names file)
Major Constructs Sequential files, SORT with Input Procedure, Pre-Defined Table of values, STRING, UNSTRING, INSPECT, SEARCH ALL

Introduction

A program is required to convert the unsorted Client-Names file of free-format, variable length, records into a sorted file of fixed length records. The sorted file must be sorted into ascending Client-Name within ascending County-Name. In addition to converting and sorting the file, the program must ensure that the county name is valid and must convert it to a county number.

File Descriptions

The Client-Names File (input)

The records of the Client-Names file are unsorted, free-format, variable length records where the fields are separated by commas. While the fields do not occupy specific character positions, they are in a specific order. The Client-Name is first, the Client-Address is next and the Client-Number is last. The fields also have a maximum size. The Client-Name is a maximum of 35 characters, the Address is a maximum of 60 characters long and the Client-Number is always 4 digits long.

The constituent parts of the fields are separated by one or more spaces. The fields may be upper case or lower case or a mixture of these. In the Address field the County Name will always be the last part of the address.

Some example records are;

Michael Terence Ryan,34 Winchester Drive Dublin 3 Co. Dublin,0123
MARY TYLER MOORE,THIS IS AN INVALID ADDRESS,1432
Fred James Hoyle,17 Starry Lane Cork Co. Cork,0012

 

The Sorted-Clients File (output)

The Sorted-Clients file is produced from the unsorted Client-Names file. The records of the file must be fixed length records held in ascending Client-Name within ascending County-Num. Each record has the following description.

Field

Type

Length

Value
Client-Name
X
30
--
Client-Address
X
45
--
County-Num
9
2
1-32
Client-Num
9
4
0001-9999

 

This file only contains records with valid county names. Records with invalid county names must be written to an error file.

The Client-Name in the sorted file must have the surname first so that the sorting will be done correctly.

Some sample records are;

Hoyle Fred James              17 Starry Lane Cork Co. CORK                060012
Ryan Michael Terence          34 Winchester Drive Dubline 7 Co. Dublin    090123

The Error File

Any records that are found to contain invalid county names are sent to an Error File. This fle has the same format as the input file

An example error record is;

Mary Tyler Moore,This is an invalid address,1435

Appendix

The names, and corresponding county numbers, of the 32 counties of Ireland are given in the table below.

County Num
County Name

1

Antrim

2

Armagh

3

Carlow

4

Cavan

5

Clare

6

Cork

7

Derry

8

Donegal

9

Down

10

Dublin

11

Fermanagh

12

Galway

13

Kerry

14

Kildare

15

Kilkenny

16

Laois

17

Leitrim

18

Limerick

19

Longford

20

Louth

21

Mayo

22

Meath

23

Monaghan

24

Offaly

25

Roscommon

26

Sligo

27

Tipperary

28

Tyrone

29

Westmeath

30

Waterford

31

Wexford

32

Wicklow

 

Copyright Notice

This COBOL project specification is the copyright property of Michael Coughlan. You have permission to use this material for your own personal use but you may not reproduce it in any published work without written permission from the author.