Re: Can my VB program execute an AS/400 program?

At 12:06 06/15/2001, Don Schenck wrote:
>I would like to be able to run an AS/400 program from my VB program.
>
>Is there a way to do that? MUST I have Client Access?
>
>Also; can I receive any return parameters or messages?
>
>I used to do this all the time using PC Support/400 ... YEARS ago.

You can do it with ODBC. For two way communication, I think you'll need to 
bind the parameters in VB (I did this way back with the ODBC API. It's 
probably easier with DAO. I think it would be a passthrough query.) and 
make the AS/400 program a stored procedure (by executing the one time 
CREATE PROCEDURE sql command on the AS/400, which really just creates a 
record in QSYS2/SYSPROCS that contains the parameter description info and 
other stuff).

You could also do it with FTP quote rcmd, but then you'll need to 
manufacture your own method of returning information (AS/400 program writes 
info to a file, VB program does FTP GET to retrieve it).

There is also an activex program call control. See 
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/clientaccess/toolkit/program_call.htm.
 
I don't know about licensing issues, but I think it might be a freebie. 
It's part of the CA express toolkit, which also includes data queue and 
remote command controls (other cool stuff too - you should look at it if 
you haven't).

hth
Pete
Pete Hall
pbhall@execpc.com
http://www.execpc.com/~pbhall/

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