• Using Different ODBC DSN Types for i5 Access

  November 29, 2006 Hey, Joe

  When I create new ODBC Data Sources to connect my Windows PCs to my i5 systems, I notice that Microsoft‘s ODBC Data Source Administrator will let me configure three different categories of Data Source Names (DSN): User DSN, System DSN, and File DSN. I always choose User DSN. Am I making the right choice? –Bob Don’t worry. No one has ever lost any teeth by choosing the wrong ODBC DSN type. Rather, form should follow function in DSN category selection and the type you select is wholly dependent on how you want to use your connection. Each DSN category

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• Create Database Files from SQL Queries

  November 15, 2006 Hey, Ted

  While using interactive SQL/400 from a green-screen session, I can direct the output of an SQL command to a database file. Is there a way to direct the output of a dynamically created SQL command to a database file from a batch job? –Rich Yes, you have a few options. First, let’s review the steps you use in your interactive session, for the benefit of the readers. From the interactive session, press F13 to access the Services panel. From there select option 1 (change session attributes), and enter 3 at the SELECT output prompt. Fill in file name, library, and

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• Stream Files and End-of-Line Delimiters, Take Three

  November 15, 2006 Hey, Ted

  I do a bit of development in Cygwin under Windows and then move it to the iSeries using Qshell. It turns out that Qshell doesn’t like the carriage-return/linefeed combination (CRLF) in shell scripts, so I often need to change CRLF to LF–as you wrote about in two previous articles–in bulk. Here are some methods I use to convert end-of-line delimiters in stream files. The first method is a simple Perl command. perl -i.bak -pe 's/rn/n/g' * This command adds the extension .bak to the end of the files and strips the CRLF, putting in LF instead. By using a wildcard,

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• Admin Alert: Three Steps to Mapping iSeries Data to a Windows Network Drive

  November 15, 2006 Joe Hertvik

  There’s only one problem with using iSeries NetServer to deliver AS/400 Integrated File System (AS/400 IFS) file shares as networked Windows PC drives. The technique is so commonly used that it’s getting hard to find an easy primer for setting it up. As a service to the i5 community, this column focuses on setting up a NetServer environment from scratch on your i5, iSeries, or AS/400 partition. What is iSeries NetServer? iSeries NetServer (also called AS/400 NetServer in earlier versions) is an i5/OS and OS/400 server that enables Windows clients to access AS/400 IFS folders as mapped network drives. With

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• Get Creative Using the SQL Database Exit Point

  November 8, 2006 Michael Sansoterra

  The System i platform has a powerful operating system, i5/OS. One example of that power is the fact that developers can tap into many features of the OS within homegrown applications by using the provided Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Further, developers are allowed, via exit points, to create exit programs that interact with the system by responding to certain events that occur, such as when an FTP, SQL or Telnet request is made by a client application. This kind of versatility allows a developer to have fine-tuned control over a wide array of events on the system. In this article,

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• Finding Large IFS Directories

  November 8, 2006 Hey, Ted

  The Integrated File System (IFS) continues to grow in importance in our shop. That means it also continues to grow in size. How can we determine which directories are largest when it comes time to clean them up? –Dan Use the Start Qshell (STRQSH or QSH) command to open Qshell. Use cd to navigate to any directory, then try this command. ls -alsF | grep /$ | sort -r Clear as mud, huh? Let’s look at it in detail. The ls command lists the files in a directory. In this case, the directory to be listed is the current directory.

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• Admin Alert: The Rule of Fours for i5 Test Environments

  November 8, 2006 Joe Hertvik

  After my recent article about duplicating data to a test environment, I started receiving e-mails discussing some other issues surrounding test environments and how your test data can affect (and be affected by) production data concerns. To address these concerns, I am going to pull back from the technical issues I usually discuss in this column and focus instead on the practical issues of designing an i5/OS test environment. From my experience, I have found that a good i5, iSeries, or AS/400 test environment functions best when it is designed around the following four concepts: It should be secure

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• Using i5/OS Performance Adjuster to Better Manage Memory

  November 1, 2006 Doug Mewmaw

  My boss has a saying that goes: “Do you want to get your brain surgery by a doctor that has done one operation or do you want the operation done by a doctor that has done 1,000 surgeries? He uses this analogy to give our customers peace of mind when we analyze their performance data. After all, in 2005 we did 3,000+ capacity plans alone. As a result, we get the pleasure of helping customers understand their performance needs. Big shops, small shops–our company has seen it all in regards to performance. I state the above not to be a

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• The RUN Utility: Call a Program with Correctly Formatted Parameters

  November 1, 2006 Ted Holt

  Note: The source code for article can be downloaded here One complaint I hear from time to time concerns the way CL’s CALL command formats literal values that are used as parameters. I have a utility that I use when testing programs that overcomes this problem. It allows me to call a program and ensures that the parameters are formatted as they should be. First, let’s be sure we all understand the problem. When you use the CL CALL command to begin execution of a program, CL makes some assumptions about literal parameters. CL assumes that numeric values are 15-digit

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• Admin Alert: Using Remote OUTQs to Cover for Broken Printers

  November 1, 2006 Joe Hertvik

  Physical printer breakdowns always cause problems in delivering critical output to i5 or iSeries shops. This problem is usually solved by transferring spooled file output to another functioning printer queue or by changing the non-functioning queue’s IP address to point to another printer. There is a third option, however, as you can also quickly redirect printer output between queues on the same i5 partition by using a remote output queue. I discovered this trick when a critical IP-based printer broke down on me and I had to quickly redirect important spooled files to another i5/OS writer on the same partition.

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