Re: SQL logical file equivalent

Many of your concerns have been addressed.

Field reference file?
create newtable as(
select fielda, fieldb, fieldc
from fref
with no data)

Multi member files?
See partitioned tables.

Multiformat logical files?
Well, no. But how would one expect to do a select from a multiformat
logical file? And, frankly, who uses them anymore except for a few EDI
feeds?
I suppose you could do a UNION view and just put the fields from all files
in the union. Don't confuse union with a join.
create mfview as (
select 'null', 'null', 'null', fielda, fieldb, fieldc
as (newfld1, newfld2, newfld3, newfld4, newfld5, newfld6)
from filea
union
select field1, field2, field3, 'null', 'null', 'null'
as (newfld1, newfld2, newfld3, newfld4, newfld5, newfld6)
from fileb)
Would that give you the same data as a multiformat file? Yes. Would it
work the same as for RLA? No, but then again, how often do you do a CHAIN
to a multiformat logical versus a setll/read? So, why insist on RLA for
this?

And you can do selects, omits, order by's, etc from derived fields. Will
there be a permanent access path? No. Will it respect these so that I
can use RLA in RPG? No, but then why insist on RLA for set at a time
reads? RLA is great for CHAIN and that rot. But SETLL/READ really has no
advantage over a good cursor. Ok, positioning to can be a bit of a trick.

Rob Berendt