• Avoid Changed Default Values

  August 3, 2005 Hey, Ted

  After we upgraded to V5R3 from V5R2, the size of the logical files on our box appeared to have increased to 56 times their original size. The physical files had not grown any more than normal after day-to-day processing. After finally finding someone at IBM that knew something, we learned that IBM had changed the default value of the ACCPTH parameter of the Save Library (SAVLIB) command. This change caused the backups to take more space on the tape, leading us to believe that the size of the logical files had grown.

  

  Under V5R2, the default value was ACCPTH(*NO). Under

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• Admin Alert: Making OS/400 Automatically FTP to Windows

  August 3, 2005 Joe Hertvik

  A recurring problem in OS/400 shops is how to use FTP to automatically transfer files between Windows and OS/400. In previous columns, I have provided procedures for automatically FTPing files between a Windows box and an AS/400, iSeries, or i5 box, where Windows controls the transfer. This week I’ll modify my previous procedures and explain how to set up an automated OS/400-to-Windows FTP session, with your OS/400 box controlling the transfer.

  

  While this article is complete in and off itself, it contains information I have published in earlier articles that are listed in the Related Stories section below, so check

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• Of Middle-Tested Loops

  July 27, 2005 Hey, Ted

  I recently came across the Recursion and the Alternatives story that you wrote, which gives an example of a program that explodes a bill of material. I noticed that in this program, you used the following statement:

  DOW      '1'
  

  Can you explain what this means? I have been preaching the importance of readability in programs and this baffles me. It seems like it would be better to code something like DOW NOT %EOF(MYFILE). I am actually using a modified version of your “Chase” routine, but this DOW ‘1’ statement bugs me.

  

  –Eric

  This is not the sort of thing I

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• Use SQL to Easily Update Multi-Key Files

  July 27, 2005 Hey, Ted

  Updating a single record in a file that has a lot of key fields often requires SQL commands with complicated WHERE clauses. I use a technique with web applications that greatly simplifies the WHERE clause. I have never seen this technique published before, so I hope you can use it.

  

  When I retrieve a record that will be updated through a Web browser, I select the relative record number along with the data.

  SELECT RRN(MyFile) as storedRRN, MyFile.* 
    FROM MyFile 
   WHERE ENBBTYPE = 'COPY' and ENBBTCH# = 4062
  

  When I update, I need only refer to the relative record number.

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• Admin Alert: To Each Its Own in Spooled File Management

  July 27, 2005 Joe Hertvik

  Long-time OS/400 users understand that green screen commands can provide efficient ways to manage OS/400 objects, especially printouts. But smart administrators also know that IBM‘s iSeries Navigator graphical management tool can up the ante on spooled file management, providing additional flexibility not usually found on the green screen. This week, let’s review OS/400’s graphical and command-line functions for spool file management and see how they contrast and complement each other.

  

  The heart of green screen spool file management lies in the commands found in the Spooled File Commands menu, which can be accessed through the following Go to Menu

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• API Corner: Using the User Profile Exit Programs

  July 20, 2005 Shannon O'Donnell

  The code for this article is available for download.

  One task that is common to every iSeries, regardless of the business it resides in, is the creation, deletion, changing and restoring of OS/400 user profiles. On some systems, only the Security Officer has the ability to create or make changes to a user profile. On other systems, there are a number of trusted individuals who have been given the authority to change or create a user profile. On almost every system, each user is given, at the very least, the authority to change their own user profile password.

  

  With

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• Case-Insensitive Sorting and Record Selection with Query/400, Take Two

  July 20, 2005 Dear Colleagues

  Alert and astute reader Sarah wrote in response to the article, “Case-Insensitive Sorting and Record Selection with Query/400,” that the two sorting options I mentioned are not equivalent. After checking it out, I learned she’s right.

  

  In the EBCDIC coding sequence, lowercase letters precede uppercase letters, which precede numeric digits. Punctuation and special characters are scattered throughout the sequence. See Chapter 9 of the V5R2 Query manual for more information. Sorting a file of item information by item class yields output of the following nature:

  ITCLS  ITNBR     ITDSC         
   k8    A1120     WHOZIT NOZZLE 
   BU    D881      4" FLAPPITER  
   B1    D880      3" FLAPPITER  
   

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• Admin Alert: Three Keys to Better ODBC Library List Management

  July 20, 2005 Joe Hertvik

  For OS/400 data access, ODBC can be incredibly picky, especially when specifying library lists for ODBC connections. In configuring and reconfiguring many ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs), I have found that there are three items that must be understood and configured correctly or your desktop application programs may not find the data they need. To that end, let’s look at my three keys to ODBC library list success.

  

  Please note that these items were tested by accessing an i5/OS V5R3 machine with the ODBC driver that comes with iSeries Access for Windows V5R3M0 (iSeries Access). While most of these functions

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• CHGPF Quirk

  July 13, 2005 Hey, Ted

  I increased the size of a character field in the DDS of a physical file and ran the Change Physical File (CHGPF) command to apply the change. I was surprised to find that the changed field remained unchanged in one of my logical files. Can you explain why?

  –Michael

  

  Until recently, I was under the impression that CHGPF recreates all logical files, but I was wrong. CHGPF only changes the logical files that share the record format of the physical file. This is documented in the Database Programming manual. (See Record format relationships between physical and logical database files.)

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• What Program Uses That File?

  July 13, 2005 Hey, Ted

  We would like to delete a logical file that we no longer need. We got a list of programs that used the file from our documentation tool and changed those programs to use a newer logical. However, the Display Object Description (DSPOBJD) command tells us that the file is still being used. How can we find the program or programs that are accessing the file?

  –Bobby

  I suggest you journal the physical file(s) over which the logical file is built. Specify OMTJRNE(*NONE), because you need the system to record opens and closes. The following commands create a journal and start

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