Performing Surgery on the Windows Registry
by Shannon O'Donnell

In the early days of Windows, when it was nothing more than an application that ran inside DOS, and was known as Windows 3.0, Windows 3.11, and Windows for Workgroups, all Windows settings were stored in database files, known as "ini" files (for their .ini file extension). When Windows 95, the first "true," self-contained Microsoft GUI operating system, came along, most settings were moved to the Windows Registry. In this article we will take a look at the Registry and see how to manipulate it. READ MORE >

Back to Basics: Side-by-Side Subfiles
by Kevin Vandever

In the article "Back to Basics: Multiple Subfiles on One Screen," I discussed placing more than one subfile on a screen by using the over/under technique, which is coding one subfile over or under another. This is a cool way to display multiple lists on a screen. But you want more, right? You want to know how to display multiple lists on a screen, side by side. Well come on in, and I'll show you how to do just that. READ MORE >

Referential Integrity: Ensuring Your Database Contains Only Valid Data
by Jim Coker

Referential integrity is a feature that is included in DB2 Universal Database for the iSeries. While it has been present for several releases of OS/400, this article will discuss referential integrity for OS/400 V5R1. The underlying premise of referential integrity is that a developer can define business rules that govern data stored in a database. However, unlike coding these rules into a high-level language, such as RPG IV, the rules exist in the database itself and are in effect all of the time. READ MORE >

Qshell String Manipulation
by Ted Holt

One might assume that a language that is used primarily for operations and administration tasks would not need string manipulation capabilities. It turns out that string manipulation can come in mighty handy. For example, suppose you wanted to make a backup copy of an Integrated File System (IFS) file to a file of the same name, but with the suffix, whatever it is, changed to the current process ID. You'd need some sort of operator to strip off the suffix. READ MORE >

Exploring Data-Type Acronyms
by Kevin Vandever

We programmers generally don't worry too much about our data. Sure, we want our database to contain valid data so our applications will run correctly, but most of us don't give a second thought to how that data is actually stored. Well, I am going to take a little departure from the normal how-to article and introduce you to some acronyms related to data types. You may have seen some of these acronyms before but never really understood what the heck they meant. You will never have to live with that feeling again. READ MORE >

The Client Access Express Toolkit
by Shannon O'Donnell

Have you ever needed to write applications for a PC so that it could communicate with your AS/400? Perhaps you needed to query an AS/400 database and display it in a PC-based application. Or maybe you needed to send and receive data from the AS/400 to the PC via automated FTP. Whatever you need to do, chances are good that IBM has anticipated your needs and created tools to help you solve such problems. Check out the Client Access Express Toolkit! READ MORE >

Reader Feedback and Insights

We value your feedback and your insights into the OS/400 market. Feel free to send a letter to the editor. We will consider your letter a candidate for the reader feedback column associated with this newsletter, but we will contact you before we make your email public. READ MORE >