Binary file definition

Binary files are defined with a fixed structure. Binary files can be marked as text files (ASCII files), when they contain ASCII data, only and when the line end is marks by line break (LF/CR). Binary files not marked as ASCII files and containing line breaks must define the line break character(s) in the structure definition.

Binary files can be accessed in read or write mode. In write mode, one may append new instances or update existing ones, but it is not possible to insert instances for a binary file.

You may define binary files as weak typed extents for processing binary data with different record types (e.g. hierarchical files).

Binary files marks as ASCII files may cut empty characters of the last field. When reading, missing characters will be appended. When writing, cutting the last field can be done in a DBStore() event handler for the structure, which may set the line break character on another position.