Garbage Symbols in build file

Question

Hi,
I am trying to build a hierarchy using a build rule. Now, whenever I open the build file in the rules file, I see some garbage symbols preceding the first entry in the first column which is not expected.
Please help me get rid of this.
TIA,
KRIS.

Answer 1

Hi Kris,
I have seen this kind of thing for at least two reasons I can recall in past projects.
1) The source file may have garbage characters of its own. Unlikely but it has happened to me.
Sometimes print control characters or other strange symbols were in flat file feeds back in the early days of Essbase from using accounting system trial balance dumps that were print formatted. I doubt this is the case for you but it never hurts to consider it and check it off the list.
2) Odd field count and/or field/column definitions in your file.
Not too long ago, I was given a feed file that was a concatenated output file with half of its records contained extra fields compared to the first half. Coupled with some blank character packing issue on the source side, the data file opened in the rule editor with one row of odd characters in the first and only column displaying. My workaround until the source was fixed was processing this mainframe text file through Access which cleaned up the offending issues.
If #1 above is your issue, you can copy/paste the actual strange source characters from your file into the Options/Data Source Properties/Ignore Tokens field and they will forever be ignored (not field-specific, just a rejection for the whole file).
If #2 above is your issue, you'll find out by examing the entire file in an appropriate container like Access or KEDIT or whatever handles the file size for you. And then you should have the producers of the file check the processes and coding that produce the file. In the meantime, try my work around running your files through Access. Clumsy but a possible temporary fix.
I'm sure there may be other reasons, but I hope this helps you deal with the problem you are having.
Darrell