Re: Flat-File Vs. Text-File

Generally, a Flat File contains data in a consistent format that can easily be parsed out. A Text File has no such constraints and could be anything from the Flat File type data to a Novel. They are not exclusive, all Flat Files are Text Files, but not all Text Files can be parsed by data structure.

HTH, Tom

"Lee Shelton" <lee_shelton_at_my-deja.com> wrote in message news:94t0d4$l7c$1_at_nnrp1.deja.com...
> I've been hearing the term "flat-file" used a lot here, where I work,
> and I think the term is being mis-used.
>
> They way it's used here is to mean what I simply call a "text-file" --
> just some ASCII output from a report, or even a dump of a table's
> contents.
>
> For example, folks here would say that this is a "flat-file":
> -->
> 1101 "Adams, Allen" "123 Anystreet" "Ourtown" "AR"
> 2202 "Baker, Bill" "224 Park Ave" "Anycity" "CA"
> <--
>
> When, really (in my thinking), this is a text-file "dump" of the
> Customer Table (Customer Number, Name, City, State).
>
> I thought that a flat-file contained database structure info and may
> certainly be a text-file, but not all text-files are flat-files.
>
> I cannot find any good glossaries to straighten us (or probably "me")
> out.
>
> Anyone here care to offer a definition?
>
> Thanks,
> Lee
>
>
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> http://www.deja.com/
Received on Sun Jan 28 2001 - 23:15:55 CET