RE: Format Database file

[Brian Volk]

Well, I've made some changes...  not sure if it was for the better but at
least I'm learning from the research! :-)
 
I don't think the split is really doing anything (but I'd like it to.. :-) )
and my format STDOUT is producing the error "Use of uninitialized value in
formline... ??  not sure what that means.   Any suggestion would be great!
Thanks!   Brian
 
--- new and not so improved code --------------
 
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
 
use strict;
 

my $datafile = "C:/brian/marion_sch.txt";
open (IN, $datafile); 
while (<IN>) { 
    chomp; 
 
    my ($user_name, $full_name, $cust_name, $address, $csz, $blank_line) =
(split // );
    write;  
}
 
format STDOUT =
@<<<<<<<<<<<<< @>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
my $user_name, my $full_name, my $cust_name
.
 
close IN;

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Volk 
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 12:37 PM
To: Beginners (E-mail)
Subject: Format Database file 


Hi All,
 
I have a database file, some_sch.txt that is arranged like this:
 
username1
First Last
Some Community Sch  
1000 S Adams St
Town, Indiana 12345 U.S.A. 
 
username2
First Last 
Some Community Sch 
1000 S Adams St
Town, Indiana 12345 U.S.A. 
  
username3
First Last 
Marion Community Sch  
1000 S Adams St
Town, Indiana 12345 U.S.A.
 
I want the file to look like this:
 
username1    First Last    Marion Community Sch     1000 S Adams St    Town,
Indiana 12345 U.S.A.
username2    First Last    Marion Community Sch     1000 S Adams St    Town,
Indiana 12345 U.S.A.
username3    First Last    Marion Community Sch     1000 S Adams St    Town,
Indiana 12345 U.S.A.
 
Here is what I have so far,  I don't how to tell perl what is what in the
input file, I know this is a ways away from what I want, but if I could get
some help w/ the first part, I would really appreciate it. 
I think I might need a next statement after each Scalar in the loop?
 
 Thanks! 
 
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
 
use strict;
 


my $datafile = "C:/brian/some_sch.txt";
open (IN, $datafile); 
while (<IN>) { 
 
    chomp; 
 
   my $user_name = substr $_, 0, 15;  # extract the last username field 
   my $full_name = substr $_, 0, 20;  # extract the name field 
   my $cust_name = substr $_, 0, 40;  # extract the customer name field
   my $address = substr $_, 0, 30;    # extract the address field
   my $csz = substr $_, 0, 40;        # extract the city, state and zip
field
 
    print "$user_name $full_name $cust_name $address $csz\n"; 
} 
 
close (IN);
 
Brian Volk
HP Products
317.289.9950 x1245
 <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED]