RE: Working with IFS Files

Not sure what API allows you to convert to CSV from DB2 from within RPGIV.
My xTools has both capabilities. You can use a CL command to convert all or
part of a file, call a subprocedure from within RPG IV to convert all or
part of a file, or call another subprocedure to open an IFS file, then read
& write your DB2 data records to the IFS as CSV format data--one record at a
time. You can then check for errors or whatever after each write if you
want.
That's the things about xTools, you get the high-level CL like helper
commands and also are able get at the lower-level stuff to do it yourself if
you like that kind of things. 

-Bob Cozzi
www.RPGxTools.com
If everything is under control, you are going too slow.
- Mario Andretti


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 11:21 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: Working with IFS Files

Grizzly,

You're right, using api's does give you a granularity of control.  For 
example, if it dies on row 23 you can handle the exception better.  Bob, 
no slam, but moving from IBM's api to your's probably does not give the 
granularity of control wanted.

We've found out that custom writing something can often be faster than 
IBM's CPYTOIMPF.

With the fun and games IBM played with V5R3 and CPYTOIMPF/CPYFRMIMPF it 
left a bad taste in our mouths.  And I am concerned that any of IBM's 
published workarounds to get V5R3 to work like earlier releases may not be 
carried over to future releases.

You may want to consider not using "a big honking character field" to 
cover all anomalies from a particular column of CPYTOIMPF but instead to 
use a variable length character field.  Sounds like an ideal application 
for it.

Rob Berendt