Re: Managing one physical file with several subfile record formats

[Peter Dow <petercdow@xxxxxxxxx>]

I know what you mean - I'd have a really hard time coming up with a use 
case for it.

On 6/21/2023 10:15 AM, VERNON HAMBERG Owner via RPG400-L wrote:
> Thanks, Peter - I was thinking of the default, which is *EXT - have never used record length in free-format - almost pathologically opposed to the idea!!  :)
>
>
> Regards
> Vern
>
>
> On Wed, 21 Jun, 2023 at 12:07 PM, Peter Dow<petercdow@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>   
>
> To:rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Hi Vern,
>
> "Free format file descriptions have to be externally described." doesn't
> match the manual.  I haven't done it, but you should be able to define a
> program-described file in free format with something like
>
> dcl-f myFile disk(200);
>
> The caveat is you would have to do I/O with a data structure, e.g.
>
> chain (search-arg) myFile myDataStruc;
>
> --
> *Peter Dow* /
> Dow Software Services, Inc.
> 909 793-9050
> petercdow@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:petercdow@xxxxxxxxx>
> pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  '/
>
> On 6/21/2023 4:40 AM, Vern Hamberg via RPG400-L wrote:
> > Hi Dave
> >
> > Should I assume that your physical file is internally described?
> > Therefore, you are using fixed format? Free format file descriptions
> > have to be externally described.
> >
> > Anyhow, with internal descriptions, we have I-specs with record
> > identifiers - this is old school, I've not used this for decades, I
> > think!   :)  And then there would be indicators, IIRC. Nowadays you
> > can give names to some indicators, maybe, for this purpose.
> >
> > I did look at the SFILE keyword documentation -
> > https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.3?topic=keywords-sfilerecformatrrnfield#fsfile  
> > - you can see whether there is any way to use variables.
> >
> > Regards
> > Vern
> >
> > On 6/20/2023 9:42 AM, Dave wrote:
> > > Thanks, that's how we always did it!!
> > >
> > > I was wondering if I would end up having to do something like
> > > when sfl010,
> > > when sfl020,
> > >
> > > for all my read, writes and exfmt or is there anything in the file
> > > definition specifications that would let me have the format name in a
> > > variable.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      - *Subject*: RE: Managing one physical file with several subfile
> > > record
> > >      formats
> > >      - *From*: "Sean Courtney" <scourtney@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >      - *Date*: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:33:21 +0200
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > You just need to add SFILE for each subfile :
> > >
> > > workstn infsr(*pssr)
> > > sfile(sfl010:sn10##)
> > > sfile(sfl020:sn20##)
> > >
> > > Kind regards
> > >
> > > Seán
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, 20 Jun 2023 at 09:20, Dave <dfx1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dfx1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hello,
> > > >
> > > > I don't think it's possible to do this but I'm very much outdated and
> > > > maybe there's something that can help :
> > > >
> > > > FMYFILE  CF   E             WORKSTN
> > > > F                                     SFILE(MySFRecord:SFRRN)
> > > >
> > > > MYFILE is the name of the display file, but MySFRecord would be
> > > > variable.
> > > >
> > > > I have a simple program that reads records from a flat physical file
> > > > into
> > > > a subfile, manages these and updates the physical file from them.
> > > >
> > > > Now I need to add different subfile record formats and do the same,
> > > > still
> > > > managing the same physical file.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thanks