RE: Sys for Dummies? (was: Those flippin dates)

SYSIBM/SYSDUMMY1 is just an IBM provided table with a single record in it.

The field and the data in it, don't really matter. All that matters is that only a single record
exists.

Such single record tables often come in quite handy and most if not all DBMS software provide such a
table that way everybody using that DBMS product can use the same one. In Oracle for instance, the
table name is DUAL.

HTH,
Charles

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carmen Nuland
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 3:28 PM
To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: Sys for Dummies? (was: Those flippin dates)

Can someone give me a brief description on the last part of
this statement means? It's the second time this week that
I've seen a statement with "from SYSIBM/SYSDUMMY1" in it, but
I don't understand what it's doing. If I look at that file,
it has one field set to "Y". What kind of magic is happening here?

Carmen

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Campin [mailto:Alan.Campin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 4:05 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Those flippin dates

<snip>

Select iDate('2007-01-01','*CCYMD') As DateField from SYSIBM/SYSDUMMY1





--
This is the RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries (RPG400-L)
mailing list To post a message email: RPG400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/rpg400-l
or email: RPG400-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at http://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l.

This e-mail transmission contains information that is intended to be confidential and privileged. If you receive this e-mail and you are not a named addressee you are hereby notified that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication without the consent of the sender and that doing so is prohibited and may be unlawful. Please reply to the message immediately by informing the sender that the message was misdirected. After replying, please delete and otherwise erase it and any attachments from your computer system. Your assistance in correcting this error is appreciated.