Re: DB2/400 Rerference file -- MIDRANGE-L

Nina,
Gee, If keeping track of ONE file with a bunch of fields is unmanageable, how 
do you keep track of THOUSANDS of fields in HUNDREDS of files.

I am sure every one of those thousands of fields has TEXT and COLHDG fields 
associated with them,,, right <vbg>

A Field Reference File works best when used as a "Data Dictionary". Most 
successful applications of this use a base field (ie CST# for Customer Number) 
In the file definition for the data file, the files prefix is comcatenated to 
the field name. For example, If the A/R master file's prefix is AR, the Field 
name would be ARCST#, and would reference CST# in the FRF.

Comments could/should also be placed in the FRF detailing the use of the field. 
If there is any question about a fields use, the FRF should answer the 
question, what is it for? Scanning the QDDSSRC members for CST# would show 
where it is used.

The FRF is not there to make work, but to make life easier, and mor consistent.

Bob Larkin

nina jones wrote:

> > I agreed with this up until my first exposures to this on a fairly large 
>site with many applications, assorted third-party packages, and sites around 
>two continents.  Their two field reference files had become a mish-mash of 
>stuff, usually every new application had a new section with all of it's fields 
>including date fields even though the fields were typical of other fields 
>already defined.  At first I felt the site was unusual, with unusual 
>solutions.  But since then, on other sites, it appears to me that the idea of 
>reference file is good in theory, but just not scalable to large 
>installations.  Of course I have seen very few installations, so perhaps other 
>sites have other solutions; perhaps the scaling issue is normally resolved in 
>ways not clear to me yet.
>
> we started out using them too, until it became unmanagable.  so we quit using 
>them, except for the limited ones we started with.
>
> i suppose it's ok if your applications are small, but if you have thousands 
>of fields, over several hundred files,  it is a lot to keep up with.  at least 
>for my simple brain...
>
> nj
>
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