Introduction

Using the SeqWrite.cbl program as a starting point write a program called InsertRecords.cbl to take a file of new student records (TransIns.dat) and insert them into the correct order into the student file (Students.dat). To do this you will need to create a new file (Students.New) containing the merged records.

Download Students.dat and save it to the WorkArea directory on drive D:.

Download TransIns.dat and save it to the same place.

The File Descriptions

Details of new students are initially recorded in a transaction file (TransIns.dat). Records in the file are ordered on ascending StudentId.

Details of existing students are held in the student file (Students.dat). Records in this file are also ordered on ascending StudentId.

A program is required which will merge these two files to create a new student file (Students.New) which contains the records of both files. Records in the new student file must be ordered on ascending StudentId.

The records in the transaction file, the students file and the new file all have the same description. All three records consist of the following items;

Further Work

Add code to your program to read the file you have just created and display the StudentId and StudentName from each record. Display the records as shown in the example run below:

     Stud-Id Surname
8812356  MACKEY  TD
8812357  BOBBIN  WE
8812358  DALEY   FR
8812359  SWINDON GL
8912345  Insert2 ok
8912351  DEWEY   AS
8912352  RICHARDSTR
8912353  GORMAN  WJ
8912354  FAHY    ML
8912355  RYAN    GN
8912356  CORKERY DF
8912357  COFFEY  SD
8912358  FORD    LM
8912359  GRANT   HS
9012351  FLOOD   MB
9012352  HUBERT  TJ
9012353  JONES   VT
9012354  KINGSTONDR
9012355  LANGAN  RR
9012356  MORGAN  WR
9012357  MANLEY  FL
9012358  NORMAN  LK
9012359  OTTERMANFD
9123453  Insert3 ok

Sample Solution

When you have written your program and have compiled it and have it working correctly you may wish to compare it with this sample solution.

WARNING

Do not look at the solution until you have finished your own or at least have made a substantial effort to complete it.

Examining the sample solution

Compile and run the sample solution provided. Use the Animator to step through the program and examine the contents of the records as the program executes.

As you examine the program, attempt to answer the following questions:

1. Why is FILLER used in the record descriptions.?
2. In the program, the field StudentName is not described as it is in the record description above. Why is it still a valid description?
3. Why are the Student File and Transaction File records filled with "9"'s when the end of file is reached? What problem does this solve neatly?
4. The READ TransFile statement in the paragraph MergeTheFiles is outside the scope of the second IF statement. Why is the IF statement written like this?