Variable length records

[Chris Sharman]

>On Vax, I have not been able to generate true variable length files by just
>using QTP or QUIZ.  Files with fixed length records are all we could get
>directly.  Our VMS support bloke created a program to read Powerhouse files
>and make true RMS variable length record files.  The modified files optimise
>use of disc space and network bandwidth.

Subfiles are always fixed length.
Quiz reports are variable length, but limited to 255.
Dictionary-defined files can be variable length, and less restricted: I'd guess
you could have a variable portion up to 2k (the vms string limit).
Below is a file we use for writing a human readable audit.

Qshow> sho rec audit-log
01-MAR-2000                  CCA Group Report                     Page    1
                         R E C O R D   R E P O R T
                  For DICTIONARY:  DISK$DEV:[PHD]COE.PHD;
    Record:             AUDIT-LOG
    of File:            AUDIT-LOG
    Organization:       SEQUENTIAL
    Type:               RMS
    Open:               AUDIT-LOG
    Record Format:      Variable
    Supersede:          No

    Record Size:        285 Bytes

-- Record Contents --
    Item                                 Type            Size  Occ  Offset
    DATESTR                              CHARACTER         17            0
    FILLER                               CHARACTER          1           17
    USERNAME                             CHARACTER         12           18
    AUDIT-DESC                           CHARACTER        255           30

_______________________________________________________________________
Chris.Sharman@CCAgroup.co.uk		http://www.ccastat.demon.co.uk/
CCA Stationery Ltd, Eastway, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9WS.
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