Re: DBU Problem: F1-KEY command doesn't work on DB file

"What is the difference between a "keyed" and "non-keyed" DB file?"
If you are going to use this file regularly, you should create a DDS for the
file and select a field to be your key(s), for example:

A                                      UNIQUE
A          R BOOKR
A            BIRPGR         3A         TEXT('REPORTING GROUP')
A            BISHIP        13S 2       TEXT('SHIPPING AMOUNT')
A          K BIRPGR

Use UNIQUE to have non-repeated keys in your file; if you do not use UNIQUE, you
will still have a keyed file but you could have repeated keys in it.  A
non-keyed file is simply a sequential file that you will have to roll down-up if
you use DBU for example.

However, whenever you use Query/400 to create a file, it will be a "non-keyed"
file.

"Is there any way to convert a "non-keyed" DB file into a "keyed" DB file? "
I do not know about a command that can do that but you can take the first
approach that I mentioned or create a keyed file and copy over the data you have
created with Query/400.  This could be tricky so try to define your layout based
on the results of your query file or at least with the same field names.  You
can use CPYF command with the *MAP option.

"If there isn't a way to do this, I do I use DBU to go directly to a specific
record on a very large DB file?"
You can still use DBU to access your file by relative record number.

Peter Vidal
Programmer Analyst
PALL Aeropower Corp.