• Retrieve the System Name

  January 28, 2004 Hey, Ted

  At the end of reports, I print a special line that indicates that the report is complete. In addition to the message “end of report,” I print the qualified job name, qualified program name, and in the case of SQL programs, the last value of the SQL status variable. These values help me to debug and troubleshoot problems. I’d like to add one more bit of information.

  

  We recently got a new machine with logical partitioning, and we have set up a partition to use as a test environment. I would like to add the system name to the end-of-report

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• OS/400 Alert: Trials and Betas

  January 28, 2004 Shannon O'Donnell

  In this issue of “OS/400 Alert” you’ll learn about a new TCP/IP communications trace tool that should make diagnosing communications problems much easier. In addition, we’ll alert you to a nasty little virus that is poised to initiate a world wide denial-of-service attack starting on February 1. And, if you are looking for a way to fill some unused time, we’ll let you know where you can go to download dozens of IBM trial software.

  

  INTELLIGENT COMMUNICATIONS TRACE ANALYZER FOR ISERIES

  IBM has unveiled a new tool you can use the next time you experience problems with communications on your

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• Why SQL? Why Now?

  January 14, 2004 Raymond Everhart

  SQL has been available on the AS/400 and iSeries for years. When SQL was first introduced, it was not widely embraced, because of limitations and performance concerns. Since then, IBM has improved SQL on the AS/400 and iSeries so dramatically that in some cases it outperforms “native” RPG and COBOL record-level access. In spite of the many improvements, many programmers have not yet explored what SQL can do for them.

  

  What about you? Can you be persuaded, in just a few short paragraphs, to use SQL? Let me start by saying that SQL is just another programming language. Like all

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• Deleting with a Generic File Name

  January 14, 2004 Hey, Ted

  I’ve been working on the AS/400 for almost 15 years now, and I’ve always thought that a physical file could not be deleted until all the logical files based on the physical file had been deleted. However, while working on a problem dealing with deleting a physical file when a logical may or may not exist, I tried using a generic file name. My reading of the DLTF command description led me to believe that the files would not be deleted. To my surprise, the files–the physical file and the two logical files–were deleted. Did I misunderstand the description? Is

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• Functions Can Modify Parameters, Too

  January 14, 2004 Hey, Ted

  Steven Gray suggested that it’s a good idea for an RPG function subroutine to return a data structure. I think he’s on the right trail but barking up the wrong tree. Barbara Morris pointed out that it’s more efficient to modify a data structure as a parameter of a subprocedure. I suggest that the best approach is to combine the strengths of the two methods.

  

  I understand and fully appreciate the enthusiasm many programmers feel for functions. Compared with traditional RPG coding methods, nesting an %INT function within a %SUBST function within a %CHAR function, for example, eliminates

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• Admin Alert: Three Common Mistakes in CL Administration

  January 14, 2004 Joe Hertvik

  With a mature operating system like OS/400, there are plenty of subtle tricks you must understand in order to ensure that you are administering your system correctly. This week’s “Admin Alert” looks at three common OS/400 administration mistakes and explains how to avoid them and keep your shop running smoothly.

  

  MISTAKE 1: NOT GIVING A SUBSYSTEM ENOUGH TIME TO END

  This is a common problem in CL programs that restart a subsystem by issuing an end subsystem command, followed by a call to restart the subsystem. A simple example is the following piece of CL code used to perform maintenance

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• OS/400 Alert: Spoofing and Demonstrations

  January 14, 2004 Shannon O'Donnell

  In this issue of “OS/400 Alert,” I’ll alert you to the concept of spoofing and offer suggestions on how to protect yourself from it. In addition, I’ll tell you know about some useful technology demonstrations made available by IBM for the iSeries Navigator tool. If you have been wanting to learn how to use iSeries Navigator for your operation but were not sure what it could offer you, you won’t want to miss out on these great demos. Finally, I’ll tell you about the viruses that are causing this week’s worries.

  

  HAVE YOU BEEN SPOOFED?

  Spoofing in our Internet-connected world

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