IRI's NextForm Converts File Formats (e.g. XML, LDIF, CSV) and Data Types (e.g. EBCDIC, Packed) CoSort Products

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File Format and Data Type Migration

NextForm is a new -- and currently FREE* -- data migration tool for rapidly converting structured file formats and data types.

Summary

NextForm is a simple, script-driven utility for converting files into different formats, and/or translating field-level data into other types. Move between XML and text, LDIF and CSV, Vision and ISAM, etc. Or, use NextForm to convert EBCDIC to ASCII fields, packed decimal to numeric, etc., and to remap field sizes and offsets.

Features/Benefits

• Reformats huge files fast
• Converts > 100 data types
• Remaps field layouts
• Cross-compatible metadata
• Easy to learn and re-use
• Runs on Windows, Unix/Linux
• Low cost, volume discounts

* While NextForm remains in its 2008 Beta phase, IRI provides free licenses in exchange for your feedback on the tool. See below.

Introduction

Do you need a quick way to convert your file structures ... from or to these forms?

CSV	LDIF	Micro Focus Variable Length	Micro Focus ISAM	Line Sequential	Record Sequential
Text	Blocked	Variable Sequential	Vison	VSAM*	XML

Have you tried other file format conversion tools (especially for XML and LDIF) that cannot handle large volumes? Or, do you simply need to reformat files by changing their field layouts from fixed to variable (or vice versa), move fields around, use only certain fields on output, or create multiple output files (and formats) from a single input format?

Or, do you need to convert field data types within your files ... from or to these forms?

C (ASCII) / Numeric CHAR SCHAR UCHAR SHORT USHORT INT UINT LONG ULONG FLOAT DOUBLE CURRENCY IP_ADDRESS WHOLE_NUMBER	RM COBOL RM_COMP URM_COMP RM_CMP1 RM_CMP3 URM_CMP3 RM_CMP6 RM_DISP URM_DISP RM_DISPISL RM_DISPSL RM_DISPIST RM_DISPST RM_COMP URM_COMP	MF COBOL MF_COMP UMF_COMP MF_CMP3 UMF_CMP3 MF_CMP4 UMF_CMP4 MF_CMP5 UMF_CMP5 MF_DISP UMF_DISP MF_DISPSL MF_DISPSLS MF_DISPST MF_DISPSTS
EBCDIC RM COBOL ERM_COMP ERM_UCOMP ERM_CMP1 ERM_CMP3 ERM_UCMP3 ERM_CMP6 ERM_DISP ERM_UDISP ERM_DISPSL ERM_DISPSLS ERM_DISPST ERM_DISPSTS	EBCDIC MF COBOL EMF_COMP EMF_UCOMP EMF_CMP3 EMF_CMP3 EMF_CMP4 EMF_UCMP4 EMF_CMP5 EMF_UCMP5 EMF_COMPX EMF_DISP EMF_UDISP EMF_DISPSL EMF_DISPSLS	Date / Timestamp AMERICAN_DATE AMERICAN_TIME AMERICAN_TIMESTAMP EUROPEAN_DATE EUROPEAN_TIME EUROPEAN_TIMESTAMP JAPANESE_DATE JAPANESE_TIME JAPANESE_TIMESTAMP ISO_DATE ISO_TIME ISO_TIMESTAMP MONTH_DAY Y2K_ASCII_YR Y2K_ASCII_JULIAN
Single-Byte ASCII [LATIN 1] EBCDIC LATIN2 LATIN3 BALTIC CYRILLIC ARABIC GREEK HEBREW TURKISH [LATIN5] LATIN6 ASC_IN_EBCDIC	Multi-Byte BIG5 [CHINESE_T] EUC_CN [_S] EUC_TW SJIS EUC_JP JOHAB KEF EHANGUL HHANGUL EUC_KR UTF8/UNICODE UTF16/UCS-2 UTF32/UCS-4 IBM_DBCS_HOST IBM_DBCS_PC	Miscellaneous ZONED ZONED_EBCDIC

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to evaluate NextForm, the only data migration tool that leverages the power and simplicity of CoSort's high-volume data transformation and definition technologies.

* VSAM file conversions may require Clerity software.

Description

The NextForm tool runs from the command line against simple text scripts that describe the process type (format) and field layout of your input and output files. NextForm supports all the file formats listed above, though XML elements must conform to a flattened structure. All the above data types are also supported on input, though certain conversions may not be possible without another pass. Contact IRI if you have any questions.

To use NextForm, you would run a job script from the command line, batch script, or system call from your application program. NextForm job scripts contain the layout of the input and output files. The are text scripts written in the "NextForm Control Language" or .ncl. To run a job, simply enter (or schedule) this command:

  NextForm /spec=scriptname.ncl

The script will produce all the output files and formats specified. For more examples with input data, click on the Job Samples in the file format-specific pages linked in the Introduction (above).

Platform Availability

NextForm runs on Windows, Unix and Linux command lines.

Compatible Applications

NextForm uses the same data definition file (.ddf) metadata format as the CoSort SortCL program, so you can use the same file layouts in CoSort if you want to run field-level data transforms (like sort, join, aggregate) or protections (like encryption), or produce detail and summary reports against your input file data. NextForm layouts can also be used to generate test data in the same format as your input or output file descriptions in the RowGen program.

Fast Extract (FACT) for Oracle and DB2, also available from IRI, will create NextForm-compatible .ddf files during parallel table unloads from these databases into flat file forms. That way, you can export your table data and use NextForm to convert the file formats and/or data types for database or application migrations.

Finally, by supporting IRI's .ddf format, the Meta Integration Model Bridge (MIMB) application from Meta Integration Technology, Inc. (MITI) allows you to leverage the file layouts already created for third-party modeling, ETL, EAI and BI tools. MIMB automatically converts their file definition metadata into the data definintion file metadata NextForm uses so that you can use NextForm without having to manually redefine your fields.

Evaluation, Licensing and Support

A one-time, 15-day trial handles high volumes but randomly drops records from the output. For a free trial package, click here to obtain a download link via email.

* NextForm is currently in beta on Windows, and is offered for FREE (permanent, unrestricted) usage on a single PC in exchange for your feedback to nextform@iri.com. IRI will provide a license that does not drop records if you reply to a few questions about your experience with the trial version. Contact IRI for pricing on Linux and Unix systems, and note there is an extra cost for supporting Vision or ISAM conversions.

Eventually, NextForm volume discounts apply and Visa/MC will be accepted for low 3-figure license fees. Each license is use-restricted to a single computer, and you may not sell, rent, loan, embed, distribute, transfer or otherwise encumber the software.

Email support is provided free for the first 45-days after installation. While it does not include data profiling, the service includes reasonable assistance with job scripting so you can perform metadata-consistent conversions.

1-800-333-SORT
1-321-777-8889

IRI, The CoSort Company