File Management - IBM

The parameters of the command define which characters are used for delimiters. A
fixed format import file uses a fixed format. For more information on this, see
“Copying data to the import file in a fixed format (CPYTOIMPF command)” on
page 148.
The data in the from-file is read from the formatted database file and written to
the import file with the parameters from the command.
The from-file can be any of these:
v A source physical file
v A program described physical file
v A distributed physical file
v A single format logical file
v An externally described physical file
The to-file can be any of these:
v a stream file
v a source physical file
v a program described physical file
v a distributed physical file with one non-numeric field
v an externally described physical file with one non-numeric field
Notes on the delimited import file (CPYTOIMPF command)
Null Fields
If a field is null, the field contains two adjacent field delimiters (no data in
between).
Delimiters
v A delimiter cannot be a blank.
v A period cannot be a character string delimiter.
v A string delimiter cannot be the same as a field or record delimiter.
v A field and record delimiter can be the same character.
v The defaults for delimiters are as follows:
– String is: ″ Double quote.
– Field is: , Comma.
– Decimal point is: . Period.
– Record is: *EOR End of record.
Numeric Fields
Decimal points are either a period or a comma (command option).
Graphic Fields
The string delimiter is placed around all graphic data. If graphic data is
contained in the file and the string delimiter is the *NONE value, an error
is signaled.
All Fields
The CAST function in SQL copies the data from the from-file to the to-file.
All data is copied and the relative record numbers of the from-file and
to-file are the same, unless the from-file contains deleted records. Deleted
records are not copied.
CCSIDs
The data from the from-file is read into the to-file’s CCSID.
Chapter 4. Copying files 147