TOMULTI.EXE Utility

TOMULTI.EXE is a utility program used to split a single text file into multiple text files. The output files to which TOMULTI will write are configured in the definition file. This file associates record identifiers (called tags) with a particular output file. The definition file is read by TOMULTI prior to processing the input file. TOMULTI then scans the input file looking for the record IDs defined in the definition file and, if found, writes that record to the associated output file.

The following shows the command line syntax:

tomulti [<InputFile>] [<DefinitionFile>] [-D]

For example:

tomulti purchaseorder.txt purchaseorder.def

Table 1. TOMULTI parameters
Parameter	Definition
InputFile	The name of the file to be split into multiple files.
DefinitionFile	A file containing the names of the output files and the list of record IDs associated with those output files. It may also contain the start position of the record IDs within a record. The start position of a record ID defaults to 1 (the beginning) if this information is not supplied.
-D	This option instructs TOMULTI to delete the record IDs from the record before writing it to the output file. This is an optional command line argument.

The definition file contains a list of output files and a comma-separated list of record IDs associated with those output files. It can, optionally, contain the start position of each record ID. This allows record IDs to be embedded within a record rather than at the very beginning of a record. A colon is used to separate the record ID from the record ID start position. The start position of a record ID defaults to 1 (the beginning) if this information is not supplied.

Restriction: A maximum of 60 output files can be defined within the definition file. A maximum of 30 record IDs can be associated with each output file.

The following shows the definition file layout:

[OutputFile1],[RecordID]:[RecordIDStartPosition] ,..up to 30 rec IDs
[OutputFile2],[RecordID]:[RecordIDStartPosition] ,..up to 30 rec IDs

Example Scenario

Definition File (purchaseorder.def)

C:\Dropoff\Accounting.txt,BEG,DTM, PO1,PID,ITA,CTT
C:\ Dropoff\CustomerInfo.txt, N1,N3,N4

Input File (purchaseorder.txt)

BEG*01*02*10000654321**000704~
DTM*002*000730~
N1*ST*DENIM JEAN CO~
N3*501 BLUEJEAN WAY *505 LOOSEFIT DRIVE ~
N4*LEVI*AZ*86005~
PO1*0123456789*10*EA*15**BP*555666411~
PID*A****FLARE BOTTOM JEANS~
ITA*A***CC***1000~
CTT*1~

Command Line

Tomulti.exe purchaseorder.txt purchaseorder.def

Resulting Output File for C:\Dropoff\Accounting.txt

BEG*01*02*10000654321**000704~
DTM*002*000730~
PO1*0123456789*10*EA*15**BP*555666411~
PID*A****FLARE BOTTOM JEANS~
ITA*A***CC***1000~
CTT*1~

Resulting Output File for C:\ Dropoff\CustomerInfo.txt

N1*ST*DENIM JEAN CO~
N3*501 BLUEJEAN WAY *505 LOOSEFIT DRIVE ~
N4*LEVI*AZ*86005~