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> > In comp.databases.informix you write: > > >This is probably a relatively simple programming problem for the > >experienced informix programmers in this group, but here goes. > > >Let us say for the sake of argument that I have a file which is plain > >ascii text. Each line of text is 50 characters in length, and there are > >5 lines in this file. > > >How could I load this file line by line into an array where each element > >of the array (defined as 50 characters I guess) would hold a single line > >of the file. > > >Then, how would I do this if I didn't know the length of each record or > >how many there were? > IN RESPONCE I RECEIVED THIS LETTER FROM MR. SARGENT > As you may have deduced from Dennis' response to the net, this is not a > very Informixy way of going about things. > > The old Informix hand's response would usually be "Why??? You appear to > be trying to bend the product to do what it was not designed to be good > at. Why is your text not stored as a BLOB or in a table?" (which would > be the Informixy way to approach the kind of problem that *usually* > underlies your question). Well in no uncertain terms I cannot argue with the statement that I bending a product to what it was not designed to be good at. However, I might further point out, this is not something to brag about. Informix trys to sell itself as a 4GL. BUT -- IT IS NOT. I just evaluated informix to see what it could really do (since I am doing some informix development for someone else, I was thinking of buying it and doing the development on my own hardware). Informix is a database with a 4GL development system. But it itself is not a 4GL. A true 4GL could generate code without me having to use any databases. Which by the way, is what I wanted to do. Silly me, when I heard 4GL I beleived it. And if Informix does see this as a problem, and everyone keeps doing things the olde "informixy" way, how will the product improve? Imagine what would happen if say...uh...people who don't give a flying f%ck about the database aspect just didn't like writing in curses. Using 4GL might be a G_Dsend. Do think informix would be particullary pissed if they all of sudden found a way to sell more product? Sometimes I just sit and wonder how people can be programmers, and be unwilling to be creative. BUT -- maybe then you are not a programmer. I don't klnow. But I can say this, Informix could stand to make alot of money if people could use there product for things other than just database applications. Well I guess I can't complain too much, after all how creative must someone be if they are going to use a 4GL anyway? -- I guess the more 4GL's we see, the more programmers I will run into like you who ask why rather than how. Our world is coming to a sad state of affairs. > > graeme > -- > Disclaimer: The author's opinions are his own, and not necessarily > those of Pyramid Technology Ltd. or Pyramid Technology Inc. > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > -m------- Graeme Sargent Voice: +44 (0)252 373035 > ---mmm----- Senior Database Consultant Fax : +44 (0)252 373135 > -----mmmmm--- Pyramid Technology Ltd. Telex: Tell who??? > -------mmmmmmm- Farnborough, Hants GU14 7PL Email: graeme@pyra.co.uk > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > We have the technology. The tricky bit is learning how to use it. > -- \\|/ (o o) +------------------------------oOO--(_)--OOo-----------------------------+ | Stuart Blake Tener, n3gwg | | smail: 132 N. Clark Drive, #103 ; Beverly Hills, CA 90211- | | email: stuart@jane.sas.upenn.edu (internet primary) | | email: tener@cs.widener.edu (internet secondary) | | phone: (215)-338-6005 (Philadelphia, PA office) | | phone: (310)-657-1966 (Beverly Hills, CA office) | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+