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EXTRACT (EX)
Types of Extract File Format
You can define an Extract file in one of two formats:
$ Ispec format
$ Report Frame format
With either choice, the layout of the Extract file is determined when the LINC Report
is generated (not dynamically at runtime), and it applies throughout the Report.
Defining an Extract File in Ispec Format
This form is useful when you want to perform operations internal to your LINC System
(such as sorting data without using Profiles). To write Ispec data to an Extract file (in
internal Ispec format), use the EXTRACT; logic command, specifying an Ispec name.
Any one Extract file can contain either of the following (but not both).
$ All the data items from one Component (the record size is the Component record size)
$ All the data items from one or more Events (the record size is the Event set record size)
See ‘‘Numeric Data Items in Extract Files’’, later in this section for further details.
Important Considerations
$ You will receive a generate error if you attempt to extract an Ispec that has the same
name as a Profile over that Ispec.
$ When you generate a Report, the definition of the Ispec is taken from the current LINC
Specification. This may cause problems if your Ispec definition has been changed but
your LINC System has not been generated, as the definition will not match the
database.
Defining an Extract File in Report Frame Format
This form is useful when you want to transfer of data in and out of a LINC System. This type
of Extract file can be used by both LINC and non-LINC programs, for example, MAPPER.
To write the contents of a Frame to an Extract file (in a format defined by the Frame
layout), use the EXTRACT; command, specifying the Frame. You can set up a Frame
particularly for this purpose, if required.
For Extract files in Report Frame format:
$ You can include Display Items, but only after you have defined all your data items.
$ The record size of the file is defined by the largest extracted Report Frame.
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