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EBC format database file EBDIC


gisbradokla
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I am interested in a way to translate these database (Tape) files into a usable format. Anybody have experience?

Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) is an 8-bit character encoding used mainly on IBM mainframe and IBM midrange computer operating systems.

EBC format description

Category: Document files

Application: -

Mime-type: application/octet-stream

Best answer by david_r

EBCDIC is just the character encoding, not the actual format. As long as you can read the format itself, FME should be able to handle the EBCDIC (also called ibm037) character encoding, e.g. using the AttributeEncoder.

An alternative would be to use Python in FME and a dedicated module, e.g. https://pypi.org/project/ebcdic/

You cold try to start by reading the file using the Text File reader with the encoding set to EBCDIC, e.g.ebcdicThe result will probably still have to be interpreted in some way:

105 0001000100000000000000WILDCAT                         0001451612132232571972100199999000000000100000200000990100000000000000002000000000000000000000000000000000

 

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5 replies

david_r
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  • Best Answer
  • July 12, 2021

EBCDIC is just the character encoding, not the actual format. As long as you can read the format itself, FME should be able to handle the EBCDIC (also called ibm037) character encoding, e.g. using the AttributeEncoder.

An alternative would be to use Python in FME and a dedicated module, e.g. https://pypi.org/project/ebcdic/

You cold try to start by reading the file using the Text File reader with the encoding set to EBCDIC, e.g.ebcdicThe result will probably still have to be interpreted in some way:

105 0001000100000000000000WILDCAT                         0001451612132232571972100199999000000000100000200000990100000000000000002000000000000000000000000000000000

 


gisbradokla
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  • July 12, 2021
david_r wrote:

EBCDIC is just the character encoding, not the actual format. As long as you can read the format itself, FME should be able to handle the EBCDIC (also called ibm037) character encoding, e.g. using the AttributeEncoder.

An alternative would be to use Python in FME and a dedicated module, e.g. https://pypi.org/project/ebcdic/

You cold try to start by reading the file using the Text File reader with the encoding set to EBCDIC, e.g.ebcdicThe result will probably still have to be interpreted in some way:

105 0001000100000000000000WILDCAT                         0001451612132232571972100199999000000000100000200000990100000000000000002000000000000000000000000000000000

 

Thank you that is helpful. I’ll try it.

gisbradokla
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  • July 12, 2021
david_r wrote:

EBCDIC is just the character encoding, not the actual format. As long as you can read the format itself, FME should be able to handle the EBCDIC (also called ibm037) character encoding, e.g. using the AttributeEncoder.

An alternative would be to use Python in FME and a dedicated module, e.g. https://pypi.org/project/ebcdic/

You cold try to start by reading the file using the Text File reader with the encoding set to EBCDIC, e.g.ebcdicThe result will probably still have to be interpreted in some way:

105 0001000100000000000000WILDCAT                         0001451612132232571972100199999000000000100000200000990100000000000000002000000000000000000000000000000000

 

hmm, apparently i do not have that encoding as an option.CharacterEncoding


david_r
Celebrity
  • July 12, 2021
gisbradokla wrote:

hmm, apparently i do not have that encoding as an option.CharacterEncoding

Make sure you have a recent version of FME. You can download and install several versions of FME in parallel, as long as you install them into different folders. This can be very helpful for e.g. testing purposes.


gisbradokla
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  • July 23, 2021
gisbradokla wrote:

hmm, apparently i do not have that encoding as an option.CharacterEncoding

I do have the latest version of fme 2021. but do not have those options on the character encoding. do i have to make a specific language selection when installing?


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