CQ Support tech@cq-comm.com
HOME      Site Map		Productivity       Connectivity       Security
CQ QuickLinks ---------------------------------- CQ-Print Administrator CQ-Forms Manager ---------------------------------- 3770 SNA/RJE 3780 Bisync/RJE 3270 SNA ---------------------------------- Enterprise Extender (EE) ---------------------------------- Security ---------------------------------- Technical Support Frequently Asked Questions FTP Site ----------------------------------		Support      Contact CQ     About CQ     Order		LICENSE KEY CODES

Solution Overview

The CQ-File Manager™ productivity solution provides an automated way to manage data that your organization receives, usually through a recurring download, everyday.  By automating the management procedures, the solution can improve your organization’s efficiencies and drive down the costs associated with the management of large amounts of recurring data.  The solution is easily customizable according to the file processing tasks that are unique to your requirements and specifications.

CQ-File Manager allows you to automate many of the daily data management tasks so that you can shift your financial and employee resources towards other issues.  The processes that are defined within your customized version of CQ-File Manager also make manual "human" errors less likely as most of the processes will now be automated.  Some potential applications for the solution include the daily "parsing" of data according to defined file characteristics; redefinition of report fields; file reformatting and conversion; data conversion such as EBCDIC/ASCII translation and field packing and unpacking; and data mining.

Customized File Processing Solution

File processing tasks vary widely from one organization to another and even from task to task within the same organization.  More often than not, programs and procedures are uniquely designed and written for each task.  For example, you may have the need to select specific fields of data from a file and then write the contents of these specific fields to a separate output file.  With the assistance of CQ’s engineering staff, the CQ-File Manager program can be customized to accomplish this task.

The CQ-File Manager program has taken the "tailor on demand" approach in the way that it can be customized for your applications and needs.  CQ selected this approach in designing the program because any "generic" program that attempts to provide a user-customizable interface that allows for the configuration of all conceivable file processing tasks would be problematic and complex.

Instead, you simply provide CQ with your file processing requirements and CQ will provide an engineering cost estimate to accomplish your specified requirements.  This "scope of work" that you would provide to CQ would include a sequence of events and procedures for management of your data that are currently in place at your organization.  CQ will then customize CQ-File Manager to automate these procedures in a more efficient way.  When the customized program has been written by CQ, you simply press the [Start] button from the CQ-File Manager’s main screen and the output files are generated.  For example, the CQ-File Manager solution can help you avoid the time-consuming and often times error-prone task of searching through your data files manually by automating the process according to your specific needs.

For the ultimate in productive data management, CQ-File Manager can be integrated with other CQ productivity solutions such as CQ-Forms Manager™, CQ-Event Scheduler™, and CQ-Print Administrator™ or other CQ connectivity solutions such as CQ-EE™, CQ-3770EE®, CQ-3770® and CQ-3780®.

Technical Features

• Manage One or More Input Files.
  The input filename can be defined in several ways.  The input filename can be a simple filename such as Jan15.txt.  The input filename may also include a long pathname, including all directories and subdirectories, such as C:\Downloads\Jan15.txt.

For the processing of multiple files within the same directory, the input filename may also include "wild card" characters such as an asterisk (*).  For example, a filename that includes a "wild card" character may appear as C:\Downloads\*.txt.  This would designate the input filename as all .txt files within the Downloads directory.

The input file can appear in the location that you specify in any number of ways.  In its simplest form, a user can move the file directly into the location you have indicated.  In most cases, however, the file is downloaded from another computer, such as a mainframe computer located off-site, by a file transfer program.  File transfer programs include the CQ connectivity solutions
CQ-EE™, CQ-3770EE®, CQ-3770® and CQ-3780®.  These file downloads often times occur on a daily, recurring basis during off-peak business hours.

• Move or Delete the Input File.
  Other input file options pertain to the disposition of the original input file after it has been processed.  Through this feature, you can set CQ-File Manager to deal with the input file in one of three ways after the creation of the output file.

The first option is to not do anything to the original input file after the output file is created.  This is useful for instances where you want to keep the input file intact in the same location that it was received.  The second option is to delete the input file after the successful creation of the output file.  This option clears the "staging area" so that other files of the same name can be downloaded without interference.  The third option is to move the input file to a specific subdirectory after the successful creation of the output file.  Again, this clears the "staging area" but also leaves the input file unchanged, only in a different location.

After an output file is created, the input file disposition features are generally required to keep the "staging area" clear.  This CQ-File Manager feature allows you to have complete and total control over the input file.

• Set the Output Filename.
  The output file is created from the original input file.  The output filename that you specify appears on the CQ-File Manager’s main screen.  From this screen, you can enter a simple filename such as Jan15-Out.txt.  The output filename may also include a long pathname, including all directories and subdirectories, such as C:\Processed\Jan15-Out.txt.  This example demonstrates that by designating a different pathname for the output file than the one that was designated for the input file, you can have two directories that contain the same data, although the directory with the output data will contain files that have been processed according to your specific needs and the directory with the input data will just be the "raw" data of the original input file.  This may be convenient for instances where you need to go back and look at the "raw" data at a later time.
   
• Dynamic File Naming.
  CQ-File Manager allows for dynamic file naming of the output file.  The dynamic file naming feature allows you to name output files using date options and/or incremented index numbers.  This feature allows for the use of variable names of output files that can include the current month, day, and/or year as well as an incremental numerical index.  The numerical index can be 1, 2, 3, or 4 digits.
   
• Multiple Output Files.
  The CQ-File Manager program is so versatile that single input files can be processed and split into multiple output files.  CQ-File Manager can provide this capability by accessing a customized program written by CQ that meets your exact requirements.
   
• Automatically Run the Solution Through Other Programs.
  The solution can be run by the simple click of a program icon or it can automatically accessed and operated through a command line by other programs such as FTP downloaders and schedulers such as the CQ-Event Scheduler event scheduling solution.
   
• Unattended, Background Operation.
  The CQ-File Manager solution offers a standardized user interface that provides for easy and unobtrusive background operation.  The solution allows you to set a "timer" that will cause CQ-File Manager to periodically check for the presence of the specified input filename for a defined timer period.  Background operation is also easily accomplished by setting an option where the program hides itself in the computer desktop’s System Tray as an icon that is retrievable with a single click.
   
• Log File.
  The CQ-File Manager solution is equipped with a logging feature.  When the logging option is enabled, CQ-File Manager will create a log file of all events during the operation of CQ-File Manager.  This might be useful so that you can look at it to see if a file was indeed downloaded and subsequently changed into a new output file.  The log file will record this procedure.
   
• CQ Access Point Agreement
  (CQ’s Annual License Activation and Software Maintenance Agreement).
  CQ recognizes the importance of providing our customers with access to comprehensive technical services and support.  CQ also feels that access to product upgrades and updates is an integral part of an organization’s overall software deployment strategy. With this in mind, CQ provides the CQ Access Point agreement to its customers. With each license acquisition, you receive annual license activation as well as access to the product upgrade and technical support features of Software Maintenance.

Sample Screen Shots

CQ provides our web page visitors with a quick look at several sample CQ-File Manager screens.

CQ-File Manager Screen
This screen allows you to specify the input file name (wild cards allowed) and output file name.  The input file name allows the use of wild card characters.  The output file name can be simple, fixed, or dynamic.  This screen also allows access to other screens that handle the input file’s disposition, the background operation specifications, and the output file name options.

Input File Disposition Options Screen
After an output file is created, input file disposition is generally required to keep the "staging area" clear.  This screen provides this feature.

Background Operation Screen
Through the CQ-File Manager program, background operation is easy and unobtrusive.  Through this screen, you can set a "timer" that will cause CQ-File Manager to periodically check for the presence of input files for a specified timer period.  The screen also allows for background operation where the program hides itself in the System Tray as an icon that is retrievable with a single click.  Log file information is also accessible from this screen.

Dynamic File Name Options Screen
The dynamic file naming feature allows you to name output files using date options and/or incremented index numbers.  CQ-File Manager can be automated through this screen to enable variable names for the month, day, or year as well as an incremental numerical index.