Re: Reference files

Sounds like the reference files served as "data dictionary" files.  We do
the same here.  For each application we write (billing, G/L, etc.) we create
a field reference file, with one record format, one member, and 1 record
(SIZE(1 0 0)).  Then, all PF, LF, DSPF and PRTF files "refer" back to the
field reference file for field attributes.  Clean and straight-forward.  You
have one place to look for field attributes.  Hope this helps.

Buzz Fenner
bfenner@jonesborocwl.org

----- Original Message -----
From: Sherry McMahon <smcm@frontiernet.net>
To: <RPG400-L@midrange.com>
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2000 5:27 AM
Subject: Reference files


> Hello everyone,
>
> Thank you for the help with the OMIT option in the SAVLIB command.  It
> helped me greatly and prompted me to order the 'CL Programming for the
IBM'
> book.
>
> I have another situation I've been wondering about and haven't felt
> comfortable with the answers I've gotten when I've asked programmers I
work
> with.  I've rewritten Sys36 programs in RPGIV and converted flat files to
> 400 physical files.  (Once again Scott, thank you thank you thank you for
> your help) As I was doing this I saw other files, already AS/400 PF, had
> reference files.  Everything I could read about reference files told me
they
> were just PFs.  I didn't understand why there were reference files then
> physical files then logical files.  In my conversions (Y2K) I did away
with
> the reference files and made the system consistent with just having the
data
> in the physical files.  Originally some of the data was in physical files
> and some in the reference files.   All anyone could tell me was this was
the
> SYS36 way and the people before me stayed with what they knew.  The fact
> that I don't understand why these files were necessary makes me afraid I
may
> have done some harm by doing away with the reference files, although
> everything is working fine.  As usual the books and online references
aren't
> clear to me.  Could someone give me some insight into this?
>
> Thank you,
> Sherry McMahon
>
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