Note: The code referenced in this article is available for download here.

In my first Open Access for RPG (OAR) tip, I discussed the basic mechanics of an OAR handler from a conceptual perspective. In this tip, I am going to walk you through the implementation of a simple handler that generates XML files derived from the definition of the file specifying the handler. As you will see, its capabilities are very limited but it will introduce the basic coding principals. You’ll need to understand some of the details from my first OAR tip to follow this one.

Recently one of your fellow readers told me that her shop’s nightly job halted because one of the users had inadvertently dragged something from one network folder and dropped it into another one. Don’t you just hate it when little mistakes cause big problems? Here’s an easy way to help reduce the likelihood of such errors in the Integrated File System.

The Integrated File System (IFS) is the umbrella file system that allows IBM i to store many types of data. It is a directory-based system.

To create a directory, use any of three versions of the Create Directory command:

I have some PC5250 users who every month need to execute the same commands from their green screen sessions to launch queries, set configuration values, etc. How do I teach them to create macros so they can spend more time analyzing data and less time creating it?

–Bob

Macros are extremely easy to create on a PC5250 screen. Here’s how to do it using the Personal Communications program (PC5250) that comes with iSeries Access for Windows V5R4Mx.

PC5250 macro generation is controlled through four buttons on the PC5250 toolbar: Record, Stop, Play, and Quit. Here’s what these buttons