Technical Specifications For File Formats
 


Output Format

The Baby MPS file will contain name and address, we will not be providing cancelled names, only active suppression data.

There are two data file formats - Fixed format and Ascii Comma Delimited.

The file layouts are illustrated below.
 
Position Length Content
1 - 8 8 Expected Arrival Date of Baby (ddmmccyy)
9 - 16 8 Date and Time of Registration (ddmmccyy)
17 - 31 15 Prefix
32 - 56 25 Forename / Initials
57 - 81 25 Surname
82 - 113 32 Address Line 1
114 - 145 32 Address Line 2
146 - 177 32 Address Line 3
178 - 209 32 Town
210 - 241 32 County
242 - 249 8 Postcode
 
The above record format pertains to the Fixed format data file. The Ascii comma separated format will follow the sequence above with the maximum length indicated by the 'Length' column.
 
Media Types
 

SFTP Access -   For more information: Word Doc - PDF

The full database can also be downloaded via SFTP. If you have subscribed to receive the full downloads, you can follow the instructions below to download the Baby MPS database in compressed or uncompressed format, Fixed or Comma Delimited.

1. SFTP to ftp.mps-online.org.uk and type in your username and password when prompted.

2. You can retrieve the readme.txt document found in your home directory, which will describe the files available for download.

3. The table below describes the full database files that you can retrieve and their location. (The exact format of each record is identical to relevant format described previously).

Subdirectory

Filename

Description

 

 

\bmps

bmps_fxd.dat

Full uncompressed Baby MPS database in fixed format.

bmps_fxd.zip

Full compressed Baby MPS database in fixed format

bmps_csv.dat

Full uncompressed Baby MPS database in comma delimited format.

bmps_csv.zip

Full compressed Baby MPS database in comma delimited format.