I want to retrieve a list of customers using SQL. I know how to select the customers I want. What I don’t know how to do is create some columns that are not stored in the database, but must be built from information in other files. For example, I want a column that tells whether or not the customer has an open (unfulfilled) order. I’d also like a column that tells if he has ever bought a certain line of product. There are no fields in the customer master file that store this information. Can you help?

–Rick

Good question,

Comma separated variable (CSV) files are frequently used when exporting DB2 data for use with Microsoft Excel. However, because CSV files contain text without any additional formatting instructions, it can be somewhat time-consuming for users to format their worksheets whenever they get a new export. This tip will address a few of the shortcomings of using CSV files with Excel and present a few possible workarounds to make the lives of your Excel user community easier.

Many of these ideas are only applicable to CSV exports intended for Excel usage. If the export file is dual purpose (one for users

Our i5/OS HTTP server jobs crash after we reorganize large production files because the servers can’t open the access paths the system rebuilds after the reorganization ends. The servers can’t run until re-indexing is finished, and some of these physical files have 60 logical files attached to them. How can I speed up access path recreation so I don’t hold up processing?

–Rob

Access path rebuilds can be a problem after regular file reorganizations. They can also be a problem with abnormal IPLs, where many access paths can become invalid and need to be rebuilt before they can be used