Automatic Field Detection

Auto-detect can be used to populate the File Field Layout within a Log File Monitor Rule Group.

Auto-detect runs:

• When you type a path that exists and press Enter, but haven’t defined any fields
• When you press F17=Auto-Define

Auto-detect for fields within the Log File attempts to set the following information:

• The File type
• The File Field Layout
• The Key Fields

Auto-detect success criteria

For QSYS.LIB externally described files

• Auto-detect always works and is always correct. It simply reads the field definitions stored in the file.

For CSV files

• The fields are defined by the comma delimiters, but auto-detect may or may not correctly determine the type of data in the fields. Auto-detect may also detect that column headings exist.

For Fixed format files

• Auto-detect attempts to deduce the fields within the file by looking for patterns. Having deduced the fields, it then attempts to determine the type of data within each field. Auto-detect may or may not correctly determine the fields within the file and the type of data in those fields.

*For XML files

• With XML you define the record and not the field. There is no Start Position or Length.

For HYBRID Files

• With *HYBRID files, auto-detect only works if the variable section delimiters in the file match the user options, these default to square brackets. If you discover a *HYBRID file that uses different delimiters, do the following:
  1. Set File type to *HYBRID.
  2. Press F20=Additional Options.
  3. Set the delimiters as required and press Enter.
  4. Press F17=Auto-Define.