RE: API to retrieve data field contents

Hi Walden

<snip>
  OK, I'll bite. WHY? Every iSeries language has a native method of
  reading the DB, why would you look to use an API?
</snip>

I'm looking to write a utility for working with database files, and allowing
the display and maintenance of field data.  I'm able to determine the files
attributes, record layouts, key structure, etc, etc, by using APIs and now
need to get hold of the data for display.

My thoughts are that the QDBBRCDS API is probably what I need and I'm happy
with calling it.  My problem is that unlike other API's which fill user
spaces or return data structure, the documentation doesn't provide any
information other than "brings record data into main storage" so I have no
idea how to access it.  Serching for QDBBRCDS on Google only provide the IBM
links.

I've used RPG in the past to write API's and the core of the utility will be
written in ILE.  I just need to be able to retrieve the contents for any
file passed to it.

All the best

Jonathan


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Walden H. Leverich
Sent: 12 November 2004 14:11
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: API to retrieve data field contents


>Has anybody had any experience of using API's to retrieve
>the contents of PF fields?

OK, I'll bite. WHY? Every iSeries language has a native method of
reading the DB, why would you look to use an API?

If you really need something you can call, you could write your own
"API" in RPG and then call it from another program. I've done that when
the calling program didn't know where the data was stored (online of on
a archive server) but even then, if I was reading online data my API
would use native CHAIN/READ operations.

-Walden

------------
Walden H Leverich III
President & CEO
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)


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