API Corner: Database APIs
by Shannon O'Donnell

If you want to gather some information about an OS/400 database, there are several ways you can go about it. You could use the DSPFD (Display File Description) command to display top level information about a file. Or you could use the DSPFFD (Display File Field Descriptions) command to display information about each field. However, neither command has a very convenient method of getting the resulting information into a format that can be easily used by your applications. To do that, you need to use the database APIs. READ MORE >

SQL Record Selection with Dynamic Lists
by Ted Holt

SQL's IN predicate provides an easily understood, practical way to select records (rows) of a database file (table) by comparing a field's (column's) value to a list of predetermined values. However, when using IN with a dynamic list, i.e., a list whose values and number of values are not specified until run time, IN has a drawback, namely that the programmer must allow for the number of values in the list in advance. This article will give you three ways to deal with dynamic lists. READ MORE >

   Admin Alert: Limiting the Long Reach of OS/400 Security Officers
   by Joe Hertvik

It almost goes without saying that i5/OS and OS/400 administrators should limit the number of users who have security officer authority (SECOFR). In the wrong hands, SECOFR users can delete files, manipulate information for ill-gotten gains, corrupt system configurations, and compromise organizational and customer secrets. So as a general operational principle, the fewer people who possess security officer access, the better. READ MORE >

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T.L. Ashford
WorksRight Software
Profound Logic Software