How to fish 101

If I know anything about the 400, it's in part because I do a couple basic
things.

1) Commands - use F4 to prompt them.

      Then use F10 to see any more parameters that fit the context of the
parameters you've already entered.

       Or use F9 to see all of the parameters.

       Finally, use Help (F1) on individual parameters.

2) Commands again - use the command menus. There are scads of menus that
begin with CMD, followed by a command name component like DSP. So you can
see all the DSP* commands by executing GO CMDDSP, SQL commands with GO
CMDSQL. I learn a lot in addition to what I originally was looking for when
I do this.

3) Messages - if possible, use Help (F1) to see second-level text. There is
often much good explanation there, as well as details about object names,
error codes, recovery procedures, etc.

       You may have only the primary text. If you have the message ID, used
DSPMSGD to see what else you can learn. Often the second-level text has
hints to the solution, even if the details, as described above, are not
available.

       You may need to guess at the name of the message file. The primary
MSGF is QCPFMSG, which contains message IDs that start with CP* or MCH, as
well as others.

       The prefix of the ID gives you a clue - TCP for TCP/IP, SQL for what
you'd expect. Many TCP messages are in QTCPMSGF in library QTCP, but
there's also a QTCPMSG in QSYS.

       To find IBM MSGFs, I execute WRKMSGF *ALL/Q* and then start digging.

So, I encourage everyone to do the simple things before asking questions. I
don't mind doing it - I learn more every time someone asks a question. But
these are easy things to do - F4 to prompt a command, F1 to get help on a
parameter, or to get additional information from a message. They are often
the only things I do when I'm foolish enough to offer a response. Then, if
it still doesn't make sense (as is often the case), ask away.

HTH

Vern Hamberg

Would you like to see a challenging little arithmetic puzzle
that might get you or your kids or grandkids more interested
in math? Go to <http://cgi.wff-n-proof.com/MSQ-Ind/I-1E.htm>

Sillygism--

Something is better than nothing.
Nothing is better than a ham sandwich.
Ergo
Something is better than a ham sandwich.