Exporting data to a spreadsheet

You can export the Data Elements view of a COBOL or PL/I program to a spreadsheet.

About this task

Starting from IDz V14.1, you can use Export Data Eelements under the Data Elements view to export data from a COBOL or PL/I program to a spreadsheet.
You can use the spreadsheet in the following circumstances:
  • Use Data element analysis to filter different columns, such as unused variables.
  • Add all the picture clause in the spreadsheet to count the unused bytes in total.
  • Use the Declared In column to compare and filter variables that are defined in the program working storage with another copybook.
  • Save the data analysis elements for future use.

Procedure

  1. Right click in the COBOL or PL/I editor, select Show In > Data Elements.
  2. From the menu, select Export Data Elements. The Export Data Elements wizard displays.
  3. Required: Complete the following options on the first page and click Next to the next page that is optional, or click Finish to complete the customization. You can also click the Restore Defaults button to reset your settings. A message will inform you if the export completes successfully. If the spreadsheet is empty, you will receive an error message.
    Note: The following options will be overridden by the save settings from the last successful record.
    • Location

      This is a required field. Enter the destination of the export file to be created and saved. You can select to export to either a local or a remote system, the file name of the exported file, and the associated file type. Any file extension can be used.

      Connection Path under this option is blank by default.

    • Select which results to be included in the export file.
      • If no element is selected, the export file includes all the members in the table.
      • If more than one data element row is selected, the export file includes only the selected part.

      Select results from Select only to all results.

      Result Selector: If you select more than one result, the default option is selected results. Otherwise all results are selected.

    • Key And Value

      You can select how the properties for each file to be formatted. After this option is selected, a separator field entry appears to the right.

      You can enter the separator to be used.

      You can also put the IDs of all properties on the first line of the exported file, so each result will have a subsequent line. Or, you can export only the data from each result one by one.

    • CSV File Formatting

      Data Formatting: Header and Data is selected and Value Seperator is set by default.

      You can select file encoding here, such as UTF-8 or UTF-16. The default is UTF-16LE.

      You can also change the delimiter between the properties of each result, such as Carat (^), Colon (:), Comma (,), Semicolon(;), Space ( ), and Tab (/t). The default is Comma (,).

      You need to set Text Qualifier to assign each field in the exported file, which will be displayed with quotes and can be used as identifiers when you import the file into a spreadsheet program. This option is only available when you have selected Header and Data or Data Only for the data format option.

      Note: If the Key And Value option has been selected, the Text Qualifier checkbox becomes inactive.
    • Set File Properties: all properties will be selected and the prefixes will be the property name by default.
  4. Optional: Complete the following settings. You can click the Clear All button to clear all the selections from the list. Or you can click the Select All button to select all fields from the list. You can also click the Restore Defaults button to reset your settings.
    • All properties for the search type display in a table and you can select which properties to include in the file.
      • If you have customized the table, only the properties in the table are listed.
      • If you have selected Data Only in the previous page, the text boxes of property prefix are inactive.
    • You can change the prefixes. You can also leave them as blank.