Fixed width parsing is based on a data definition that defines the position and the length of each field. This is in the format of a Cobol copybook. A set of properties define rules for mapping the copybook to logical records in the Oracle GoldenGate trail and in the source definitions file.

The incoming data should consist of a standard format header followed by a data segment. Both should contain fixed width fields. The data is parsed based on the PIC definition in the copybook. It is written to the trail translated as explained in Header and Record Data Type Translation.