There are a few questions that I am frequently asked re: SQL that are interrelated. First, can SQL be used to duplicate the function found in the native CPFY (copy file) command? Next, can SQL be used to duplicate a table similar to the function found in the native CRTDUPOBJ (create duplicate object) command? And lastly, can a field reference file be used as the source for column definitions with the CREATE TABLE SQL statement? The answer is a qualified YES to all three questions, and it is relatively easy to do.

From a SQL perspective, I break the CPYF

My computer seems to have forgotten how to divide. When I divide one value by another, using SQL, the answer is always exactly one or zero. What gives?

–RPG Professional

This took a little while, but we finally found his problem. First, the background.

Assume a database file with three fields: customer ID, the number of orders from that customer, and the number of shipments to the customer.

select CustID, Orders, Shipments
  from Summary  
          
CUSTID  ORDERS       SHIPMENTS
     1      75              25
     2      10              16
     3      20               0
     4       8               8

Now let’s add a ratio to the query to gauge order

Last week, I published part 1 of my series detailing the seven biggest culprits of unnecessary i/OS storage consumption. This week, let’s continue with the remainder of my list and see what you can do to keep your storage problems under control.

Again, the Seven Sinister Storage Hogs

While not inclusive of all the ways processes can consume disk on your machine, I usually focus my attention on the big seven culprits of unnecessary storage consumption when an issue appears on one of my iSeries, System i, or Power i systems.

1. Excessive spooled files and other system objects
2. Walking Dead