FillRed - Fixed-length record editor

Features Edit fixed-length ASCII files using a defined layout Allows for direct (= unstructured) editing of data in source view Data layout stored in XML Requirements Developed and tested on Windows 7 with .NET framework License FillRed is free. Use this software at your own risk. I do not guarantee the consistency and/or validity of any file edited with FillRed.

How to write conditions for optional fields

The internal fieldnames for a single record layout are:

• Index
• Name
• IsRecordIdentifier
• PredefinedValue
• Format
• Length
• Occurence
• RecordName
• Description
• IsOptional
• Condition
• IsEOR

A condition can only check the current record and only data fields already parsed (no "look-ahead"). For example, if my record has a field named 'HasMoreData' which has possibly values 'Y' and 'N', a condition for a succeeding, optional field would be:

(Name = 'HasMoreData') and (Value = 'Y')

Explanation: the condition looks for a field named 'HasMoreData' with a value of 'Y'. If such a field is found, the optional field is parsed.

Version history

Planned improvements

• Allow multiple occurences of fields
• Validate field format
• Allow user to choose between left and right padding
• COBOL copybook import

March 3rd, 2010 - 1.1.0.563

• Fixed major bug (formatting failed when identity field was not first on record)
• Added log tab containing formatting and validation messages
• Fixed several minor bugs

January 16th, 2006 - 1.0.0.321

• Added layout validation on save of layout
• Added more detailed parsing error messages
• Source format allows for various line delimiters
• Fixed several minor bugs

January 14th, 2006 - 1.0.0.241 (BETA)

• Fixed copy/paste bug with grids
• Added optional logging for troubleshooting
• Add "optional fields" feature:
  • A condition is evaluated if present (for condition syntax see MSDN DataColumn.Expression)
  • Othwise, the current data value is compared to the predefined value and read if they match
  • If whether condition or predefined value are defined, but an EOR field is present, the data is read if it doesn't match the EOR

January 11th, 2006 - 1.0.0.165 (BETA)

• Initial version
• Layout fields "Format", "Occurence" are not yet used