Help/Systems Updates DB2/400 Utility

Published: October 2, 2007

by Alex Woodie

Help/Systems yesterday announced the launch of EASY VIEW 8.0, a new release of its database file display utility for DB2/400. With this release, the company has expanded the product's export and transfer options, improved its scan management capabilities, and added new options for viewing records.

EASY VIEW is a programmer's productivity utility that enables users to view any data file stored in DB2/400. EASY VIEW eliminates the need for IBM's Data File Utility (DFU) to dig deep into records, particularly useful during debugging.

With version 8.0, users can now export files to the IFS, where they can be read as column-delimited files by Excel and other spreadsheet programs. Users also can transfer selected records of a file to a new file or to an existing file, which is useful for creating test files without compromising the original file, Help/Systems says.

EASY VIEW's scan management capabilities have also been enhanced, and now users can save scan definitions and retrieve them later for use. Users can also edit and organize their saved scan definitions, including their scan-and-replace routines. Scans can also be output as a column-delimited file for viewing via Excel.

Viewing records is also easier in EASY VIEW 8.0. With this release, Help/Systems has added a new EZFIELD viewing mode, which shows all the available fields for a record. A function key allows users to switch among 10 different viewing modes.

Help/Systems, which was recently purchased by a private equity company called Audax Group and acquired Advanced Systems Concepts (ASC) a year ago, developed EASY VIEW in house.

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This article has been corrected. Help/Systems obtained EASY VIEW by developing it in house, not through its acquisition of ASC. IT Jungle regrets the error.