Re: file parsing help

if ($index eq '' )
should be
if (trim($index) eq '' )

Also, something's fishy about

if ($id eq "") {
    $id=sprintf("%-*s",8,$prev_id);
}
else {
    $id=sprintf("%-*s",8,$prev_id);
}
[download]

By the way, please use <c>...</c> instead of <pre>...</pre> on PerlMonks.

Update:

$a=index($sub_line,'|',1);
$b=index($sub_line,'|',8);
$c=index($sub_line,'|',20);
[download]

should be

$a=index($sub_line,'|');
$b=index($sub_line,'|', $a+1);
$c=index($sub_line,'|', $b+1);
[download]

Although you shouldn't use $a and $b. They are special variables, and using them can create problems at a distance.

Comment on Re: file parsing help Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: file parsing help by ctaustin (Sexton) on Nov 13, 2006 at 17:32 UTC
Good catch on the Also, something's fishy about `if ($id eq "") { $id=sprintf("%-s",8,$prev_id); } else { $id=sprintf("%-s",8,$prev_id); }` [download] This fixed the problem I had with the holes in the fourth field. I have also changed the variables names away from $a and $b. I am still getting missing values for the SIC code in the second field, after adding in the trim($index) eq '' ... I appreciate the feedback thus far.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: file parsing help by ikegami (Patriarch) on Nov 13, 2006 at 17:35 UTC
Also, something's fishy about This fixed the problem I had with the holes in the fourth field. The "then" and "else" part are identical. `if ($id eq "") { $id=sprintf("%-s",8,$prev_id); } else { $id=sprintf("%-s",8,$prev_id); }` [download] is the same thing as `$id=sprintf("%-s",8,$prev_id);` [download] I am still getting missing values for the SIC code in the second field* The problem occurs for the first record of every employee except the first employee. That should be easy to debug.	[reply] [d/l] [select]