Reader Feedback and Insights: Suggestions for a Temporary Library

May 29, 2002 Timothy Prickett Morgan

Hey, Ted:

In the April 24 issue of Midrange Guru, OS/400 Edition, you described a method of creating a temporary library that would provide the same function as QTEMP. I would like to make a couple of comments:

In addition to creating the temp library, it would be a good idea to add this library to the top of the library list. QTEMP is already there, and including the temp library would allow *LIBL to be used.

To retain this temporary library, you suggested creating data area KEEPTEMP in a library in the job’s library list. I would like to suggest that this data area be named with the same name as the temporary library, and that this data area be created in a common library. The problem with using a static data area, such as KEEPTEMP is that all jobs that use temporary libraries would have their temporary libraries retained. Should this be forgotten, a large number of temporary libraries could be created. If the data area were named the same as the temporary library, and that data area were created in a common library, it would be easier to track.

— John

Thanks for your comments, John.

Your first suggestion is not a bad idea, but if you qualify all objects in the library, it doesn’t matter.

The problem with your second suggestion is that you can’t predict what the temporary library will be called, since it is named with the job number. Normally you would not have a KEEPTEMP library on disk, and would only activate it while trying to find a problem, and having found the problem, you could delete the temporary libraries by hand.

I think you’re on to something, but it still needs a little refinement. Let’s continue to think about this and see if we can come up with something better than what I published.

— Ted

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