Using a QCMDEXE function to purge spool files Was: SQL listing with final totals

We have a no holds barred policy when it comes to spool files. We delete
everything over 90 days old. No exceptions.

Want to get really funky? Create your own QCMDEXC function. Sure, IBM
already supplies a QCMDEXC stored procedure but here's why you may want a
function.

Keeping this in mind
DLTSPLF FILE(FILE) JOB(JOBNBR/JOBUSER/JOBNAME) SPLNBR(SPLNBR)
And keeping this in mind
SELECT CREATE_TIMESTAMP, SPOOLED_FILE_NAME, JOB_NAME, FILE_NUMBER, SIZE,
TOTAL_PAGES
FROM QSYS2.OUTPUT_QUEUE_ENTRIES
WHERE DAYS(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) - DAYS(CREATE_TIMESTAMP)>90
ORDER BY CREATE_TIMESTAMP;

Now you can combine the two. First, in test mode:
This only shows you the command you would run.

SELECT CREATE_TIMESTAMP, SPOOLED_FILE_NAME, JOB_NAME, FILE_NUMBER, SIZE,
TOTAL_PAGES,
'DLTSPLF FILE(' concat SPOOLED_FILE_NAME concat ') JOB(' concat JOB_NAME
concat
') SPLNBR(' concat FILE_NUMBER concat ')'
FROM QSYS2.OUTPUT_QUEUE_ENTRIES
WHERE DAYS(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) - DAYS(CREATE_TIMESTAMP)>90
ORDER BY CREATE_TIMESTAMP;

Then in live mode. This still shows the command but since we've added the
qcmdexc around it the command will actually execute.

SELECT CREATE_TIMESTAMP, SPOOLED_FILE_NAME, JOB_NAME, FILE_NUMBER, SIZE,
TOTAL_PAGES,
routines.qcmdexc('DLTSPLF FILE(' concat SPOOLED_FILE_NAME concat ') JOB('
concat
JOB_NAME concat ') SPLNBR(' concat FILE_NUMBER concat ')')
FROM QSYS2.OUTPUT_QUEUE_ENTRIES
WHERE DAYS(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) - DAYS(CREATE_TIMESTAMP)>90
ORDER BY CREATE_TIMESTAMP;

Anomaly: Always include an ORDER BY to ensure that the command executes
throughout the data selection. Otherwise you'll get someone who doesn't
roll down through the screen.

And now you will no longer get results in:
SELECT CREATE_TIMESTAMP, SPOOLED_FILE_NAME, JOB_NAME, FILE_NUMBER, SIZE,
TOTAL_PAGES
FROM QSYS2.OUTPUT_QUEUE_ENTRIES
WHERE DAYS(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) - DAYS(CREATE_TIMESTAMP)>90
ORDER BY CREATE_TIMESTAMP;
as they have all been deleted.



How to create one:
Paste this into Run SQL Scripts.
We have a library called ROUTINES.

SET PATH *LIBL ;

CREATE FUNCTION ROUTINES.QCMDEXC (
CMD VARCHAR(32702) )
RETURNS CHAR(256)
LANGUAGE SQL
SPECIFIC ROUTINES.QCMDEXC
NOT DETERMINISTIC
MODIFIES SQL DATA
CALLED ON NULL INPUT
NOT FENCED
SET OPTION ALWBLK = *ALLREAD ,
ALWCPYDTA = *YES ,
COMMIT = *NONE ,
DECRESULT = (31, 31, 00) ,
DFTRDBCOL = *NONE ,
DLYPRP = *NO ,
DYNDFTCOL = *NO ,
DYNUSRPRF = *USER ,
RDBCNNMTH = *RUW ,
SRTSEQ = *HEX
BEGIN DECLARE RETCMD CHAR ( 256 ) ; DECLARE SQLCODE INTEGER ;
DECLARE CONTINUE HANDLER FOR SQLEXCEPTION BEGIN SET RETCMD = 'ERROR
SQLCODE=' || TRIM ( CAST ( SQLCODE AS CHAR ( 10 ) ) ) || ' ' || CMD ; END
; BEGIN DECLARE CMDLEN DEC ( 15 , 5 ) ; SET RETCMD = CMD ; SET CMDLEN =
LENGTH ( TRIM ( CMD ) ) ; CALL QCMDEXC ( CMD , CMDLEN ) ; END ; RETURN (
RETCMD ) ; END ;

GRANT ALTER , EXECUTE
ON SPECIFIC FUNCTION ROUTINES.QCMDEXC
TO ROB ;





Rob Berendt