fixed-width format

[/ˈfɪkst ˈwɪdθ ˈfɔːrmæt/]
nounpl: fixed-width formats
formato de largura fixa
1. A data format in which each field or column occupies a predetermined number of characters, with data aligned to specific positions regardless of actual content length
The mainframe system uses a fixed-width format where customer names always occupy columns 1-30.
O sistema de mainframe usa um formato de largura fixa onde os nomes dos clientes sempre ocupam as colunas 1-30.
2. A file structure common in legacy systems where spaces are used as padding to maintain consistent column positions
Legacy data files in fixed-width format require parsing logic to extract values based on predetermined positions.
Arquivos de dados legados em formato de largura fixa exigem lógica de análise para extrair valores com base em posições predeterminadas.
Fixed-width format is primarily a technical term used in legacy systems and mainframe computing, prevalent in Brazilian and Portuguese banking institutions and government systems. The term reflects the constraints of early computing when storage was limited and data structures needed to be rigidly defined. Knowledge of this format remains important for professionals working with legacy systems, particularly in financial institutions and large corporations in Brazil.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
fixed-field formatfixed-length formatcolumnar formatpositional format
Antonyms / Antônimos
delimited formatvariable-width formatcomma-separated valuesfree-form format

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
formato de largura fixa
Standard term used in Brazilian IT and computing contexts
São Paulo
formato de largura fixa
Common in banking and financial systems terminology
Portugal
formato de largura fixa
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; used in Portuguese IT documentation
USA/Technical English
N/A
Standard terminology across all English-speaking regions in computing

Related Words

delimiterfieldcolumnpaddingCSV (comma-separated values)data parsinglegacy system

Related Idioms & Phrases

parse fixed-width data
align to fixed-width columns
maintain fixed-width consistency
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →