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  • Subject: Re: DB2/400 Reference file
  • From: "Simon Coulter" <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 28 Sep 98 12:18:43 +0000

Hello Al,

Actually, it is not a good idea for any file to reference a real DB file.  They 
should all reference the FRF.

Here is a real-world example of why this is so:

As part of one site's Y2K conversion they decided to change their numeric date 
fields from YYMMDD to CYYMMDD.  
They would do this by changing the size of the numeric date fields from 6,0 to 
7,0 (their reasoning was: same 
amount of space in the DB, the DB could be changed before the programs and the 
programs would still work -- 
LVLCJK(*NO) as an interim measure --, DATE data types would require too much 
work to implement).  Only DB 
fields would be changed, all display and printer files would still use 6,0 
dates.

The approach involved defining a new 7,0 date field in the FRF and using that 
in the PF and LF files.  The 
existing DSPF and PRTF would still reference the old 6,0 date field.  The 
theory was that only the DDS for the 
PF and LF files would need changing because all files should be referencing the 
FRF.

This worked fine except for any DSPF or PRTF coded by one particular programmer 
who always referenced the DB 
files in DSPF or PRTF files -- against the shop standards by the way.  Every 
file he had touched over 7 years 
needed to be re-done to reference the proper numeric date fields resulting in 
much more work than necessary.

If you design the FRF properly and use it properly you reduce future work.

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

//----------------------------------------------------------
// FlyByNight Software         AS/400 Technical Specialists
// Phone: +61 3 9419 0175      Mobile: +61 0411 091 400
// Fax:   +61 3 9419 0175      E-mail: shc@flybynight.com.au
// 
// Windoze should not be open at Warp speed.
//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.3 (32)
> Date: Sun, 27 Sep 98 16:18:13 -0400
> From: "Al Barsa, Jr." <barsa2@ibm.net>
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: DB2/400 Reference file

> At 01:03 PM 9/27/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >If I understand how reference files function, they are only referenced
> when a program is compiled.  In that event then you can copy out your
> existing file to reffile_BU, and go blithely down through your original
> file, deleting as you see fit, and if in doubt, delete.  What is the worst
> that can happen? A compile fails and you have to copy in a field or two
> from reffile_BU.  Yes it is a tremendous task, but at least this way it
> would be spread over many, many moons.
> >
> The original concept of field reference files is that all of your database
> files would refer to field reference files.  Display files and printer
> files could refer to either the field reference file of your database files.
> 
> Al
> 
> Al Barsa, Jr. - Account for Midrange-L
> Barsa Consulting, LLC.        
> 400 > 390
> 
> Phone:        914-251-9400
> Fax:  914-251-9406

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