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Is a Copybook 01 level required?

Copybooks do not require a 01 level; however, the Snap configuration is easy when 01 definitions exist.

If an 01 does not exist, we recommend you to add one using an arbitrary name at the beginning of the copybook.

For example, 01 SAMPLE-COPYBOOK.

Why must Copybook definitions begin after column 6 and end before column 72?

Copybook Snap follows COBOL zone format requirements.

• Zone A – Columns 1-5    

• Zone B – Column 6

• Zone C – Columns 7-72

Any copybook definitions in columns 1-6 and past column 72 are ignored by the import process.

Why is my data sometimes corrupted when I FTP data off the mainframe?

IBM stores data in EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code) and the current generation of computers store data in ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).

Character data (a-z, A-Z) and display numeric data (0-9 stored as F0 to F9) translates to ASCII format correctly, but binary integer (COMP) and packed (COMP-3) data does not translate correctly.

When transferring EBCDIC files containing binary and packed data over FTP, you must transfer files using the FTPs binary option.

Why am I missing several of my copybook columns that begin with 88?

The Copybook Snap ignores all 77 and 88 level definitions.

Why does the EBCDIC data coming out of SnapLogic’s File Reader Snap look like invalid, unreadable data?

The File Reader is a Binary Snap and displays the EBCDIC data unchanged causing the ASCII based OS SnapLogic runs on to run incorrectly to display the EBCDIC data as unformatted or raw.

To view EBCDIC data in SnapLogic, after previewing:

1. Click on the File Reader’s binary output.

2. Click on the Preview button in the output preview.

3. Select the HEX preview type.

You will then need an EBCDIC to ASCII translation table to interpret the data. A search using an EBCDIC ASCII Translation Table will provide many websites to choose from.

Why is packed data still looking like invalid, unreadable data in HEX format?

The data is still Packed (2 digits for every byte). For example: +12,345 is stored as 12 34 5C