[plug] Shell Tips

[HILL Walter]

Hi,

I have approximately 7000 word-processing files in a propriety format
(Enable if you  must know). The files have been created using a template
(one of half a dozen different types). I've got the job of converting
the files into a format suitable for importing into a database Probably
<TAB> delimited). I intend on writing the conversion programme(s) in C
(unless some one has a better idea).

I firstly want to separate the files of similar type into different
directories. I'd like to do this by examining the internal structure of
the file, if it corresponds to a known layout write the filename to a
text file. Then I'd like to use ???? to read the text file line by line,
and move all the corresponding files elsewhere. By doing this I can (i)
group 'like' files and (ii) see what is left over in case there are some
other files.

The files represent ten years worth of accumulated data and originally
existed on our first 386 which cost $9000 and had a MB of RAM.

All suggestions are welcome.


Walter...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Walter Hill                                   ,-_|\
w.hill at computer.org                          /     \
walter.hill at customs.gov.au                   \_,-._/
+ 61 8 9430 1505 (Voice) + 61 8 9430 1391 (Fax).