RE: Working with IFS Files -- RPG400-L

In response to your question, there are several reasons. The first, and
probably the most evident reason, is I need a better understanding of
working with the IFS.

But... you're working with standard libraries and objects through theIFS. You don't need a better understanding of those, do you? :)

The second reason is I have a utility that uses CPYTOIMPF to copy a PF
to a .csv file. It works pretty well except when the records in the file
contain quotation marks and commas. I'm sure you know that results in a
field being ended to early or essentially splitting a field up. I'm
working on something that will handle these characters when they are
encountered. Basically "prepare" the file before running the CPYTOIMPF
command.

Why not write the results to a stream file in the IFS and forego usingCPYTOIMPF altogether?

If you do want to "prepare" a member so that it'll be okay to use withCPYTOIMPF, it'd be better to use the standard tools for working withmembers in a database, rather than using tools intended for stream files.

I figured using IFS files would be more dynamic than using RPG's regularcapabilities.

Okay, I suppose that's true. Though, you could use the _Ropen(),_Rreadn(), _Rclose() APIs. These would be more dynamic, but stilldesigned for working with record-based files.

I could just pass the library and file name as parameters and go fromthere. I've thought about using a program described file with 1 reallybig field and going that route,


That would also work.

but for no real particular reason I decided to try using IFS filesfirst.

But you're NOT! You're using the IFS APIs, but you're not using "IFSfiles". You're still using the same old iSeries members that you'vealways used. The IFS APIs aren't really designed for that type of file --they can access them, but it's a little bit awkward since it's not whatthey're geared up for.