Re: Preventing Programs from using TEST files

Along the lines of "never say never" - there are contexts other than the regular end-user daily applications. As an example, we have exit points in one of our commands. This command is used in several places, including being called from a browser or from some other client. It is often called in a batch server context, where library lists are not established in the same way as for interactive applications and batch processes called from those applications. So it is necessary to use ADDLIBLE in the program that will be called at the exit point.

Later
Vern

Bryce Martin wrote:

Do not let a program set its own library list. Why would a program have code in it to add a test library to begin with? You should have a seperate "environment". We have done this very easily with a 'menu' approach. When a user logs in they can pick Production with a 1 or Prototype with a 2. When they make that selection the data libraries get set and in prototype a test library gets put at the top of the list where we put programs for testing. Then you don't have to set a library list anywhere in another program, you don't need to qualify data paths, and you sure don't need a new LPAR.

$.02 on a snowy friday.


Thanks
Bryce Martin
Programmer/Analyst I
570-546-4777



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Preventing Programs from using TEST files








We discovered a problem today that occurred because a production program
was adding a test library to the library list. This wasn't a major problem
until we added a copy of a file used by that program to said test library.
Unknown to us until today, that production program was using the test file
instead of the production one. We have fixed everything now, but I am
looking for suggestions on to how to prevent this from happening again. At
the very least I want to know what "best practices" are recommended to
prevent this sort of problem.

Thanks,
Matt

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