NETSTAT to outputfile

[bvining@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

There are many programs within OS/400 that are not public APIs.  This
(QTONUIXL) is just one instance of a program that is not intended to be
used as an API.  Rather it is intended to be a UIM exit program to
build lists of information related to NETSTAT.

UIM lists are intended to be viewed by users and are subject to changes
such as adding new columns, moving columns from one panel to another,
change the length of column fields, translation of values, etc.; any
one of which could cause a program trying to interpret the results to
cease functioning (as all too many developers know from trying to use
report layouts as input to an application program).  APIs are intended
to be used by application programs (which may then format the data for
an end user display or report) and do not just move fields around,
change their lengths, delete fields, and the like.  Fields may be
added, but they are added in a manner which is compatible with previous
releases (where UIM exit programs do not).

In short, publicly available APIs are designed from the start to be
stable application programming interfaces, and other (non-API) programs
may be developed with different objectives/design points.  To just
document a program such as QTONUIXL to developers and then expect them
to potentially rewrite their programs on potentially every new release
(or even PTF) would, in my mind, bring the system down to the level
found in some other platforms in the industry where moving to a new
release is a real pain.  I like to think that the iSeries 400 is better
than that :-).

Bruce

PS - Please note that I'm not saying one way or the other that QTONUIXL
has had incompatible changes in the past.  Just that there was no
design work up front to avoid incompatible changes if new requirements
did come up.  APIs do have the design work up front.

>
>But the program exist: (QTONUIXL?), only it's not a public
>API. Why?
>


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