you can change the delimit character to whatever you want Try set var d$ = (char(28)) set delimit = .d$ when you do a sho, the delimit will no longer be a comma but should show as a little square, same as if you did a show var d$ Then when you do an unload all from xxxx as ascii the fields will be char(28) delimited. Just change it back right away, because your code with comma's in it wont treat the comma as a delimiter either. You could also use the rbase srpl on a string and replace the comma with .d$, probably easiest way would be to set a variable to the comma set var c$ = (char(44)) the easiest would depend on how you do your output to the file, ie select, unload, report etc. Mark Lindner Lindner & Associates PC 254 Second Ave Needham MA 02494 781 247 1100 Fax 781 247 1143
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paula Stuart Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 5:50 PM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Help! OK, I'm losing my mind. I have a client who has to import data into a software package that's just been updated by he FEC. We've been sending a comma delimited file for years, which has worked fine. With the latest software update of their system, they now require that the delimiter be not a comma but an ASCII 28 character. Their instructions involve changing this by going to the Windows control panel and changing the list delimiter character there by "cutting and pasting" the character that my text editor uses for the ASCII 28. Well, I've tied in several different programs to see if I can get anything to print for this ASCII character. Using the ALT + typing the numeric value of the ASCII character works for ASCII values in the print range, but this is a control character......so the cursor just sits their blinking at me. What am I to "cut and paste?" Lots and lots of potential delimiters they could use and they select an invisible control character -- my government at work! I know that in Rbase there's a way to search for ASCII characters such as spaces -- but I can't immediately find those emails in my directory (something like (CHR(032)) I think). Is there a way to send out a delimited file from Rbase (or create a CSV file and then edit with the text editor) to replace the commas with ASCII? I've got a filing deadline this week and they just released the new version of the software last week. I've had the file reformatted for months in comma delimited form, but I can't figure out how to change the commas to an invisible control character. That requirement wasn't revealed until they released the software update last week....and I'm just now testing the import because my client just sent me the data file. I've been googling my brain out to no avail. Don't see anything in Rbase help either. I'm using version 7.1 if that makes a difference. Paula Stuart Database Strategies 70 Summer Street Somerville, MA 02143 617-776-3367 617-776-4554 (Fax) 617-388-1331 (Cell) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
