FRL Configurator
The FRL (Fixed-length Record Layout) Configurator defines how data is formatted within fixed-length record layouts.
An FRL definition represents a single record where all the fields are a fixed width. In the system, all FRL fields have at least one subfield. Subfields can be of variable length as long as they fit within a fixed length field.
FRL files reside in $HCISITEDIR/formats/.
Before configuring, specific transaction information is required, including:
- The types of transactions that are processed by each connection.
- The record layouts for those transactions.
- The types of data that are handled by each transaction.
- The way that data is processed or translated.
Features
With the FRL Configurator, you can:
- Build a list of fields and their attributes.
- Define the fixed and variable length subfields.
- Edit previously built fixed length record layouts.
- Define the validation rules.
- Define the masks that define the layout of commonly used record fields.
- Define the groups that define a group of related fields.
GUI features include:
- Location indicator
The Location pane shows the location of each field definition within the record. The indicator is a rectangle with two numbers and marks the start and end positions of the group, mask, field, or subfield.
- For a group, mask, or field, the Location Indicator is unfilled. This marks the start and end positions of the current group, mask, or field.
- For a subfield, the Location Indicator is dark gray. This marks the start and end positions of the subfield within the entire record.
- Variable-length (width)
subfields
There are two instances where a prefix is used in a subfield:
- Variable-width subfields. For example, "Doe, John."
- Prefixed fields. For example, "mrn:1234567890."
- Parsing
Variable-width subfields are parsed using prefixes instead of delimiters. Although subfields are variable in width, they must have a defined maximum width, or length. Prefix characters are not considered part of the subfield’s data.
- Subfield size
Specifications typically do not list subfield sizes for variable-width subfields.
For example, "Public, John Q":
- The subfield last name has no prefix.
- The subfield first name has a ", " (comma + space) prefix.
- The subfield middle initial has a space prefix.
Useful menu bar options
$HCISITEDIR/formats.
For opens a dialog box from which you select a file to include in the record layout. The files for record layouts, translation specs, and lookup table, under the menu, reside in , when the focus is on a field or subfield, this places a copy of the highlighted field or subfield onto the Layout pane. Specify the Count, the number of replications, and Starting Number in the dialog box. The Starting Number is valid only for fields. Selecting when a subfield is highlighted opens a menu with only the Count selection.automatically recalculates the field width whenever changes are made to a subfield width. If this option is not selected, then the field width is not recalculated until is clicked. By default, the FRL Configurator starts in auto-recalc mode.