Writing to an IFS file with SQL

This post continues yesterday's theme of doing things to files in the IFS with SQL. Then it was how to read an IFS file, today will be the opposite writing to an IFS file.

This was added in the latest round of Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.4 TR3 and 7.4 TR3. Prior to these TRs I had used C APIs embedded in a RPG program. Having played with this this is so much easier using these new SQL procedures.

As with the IFS read table function there are three different SQL procedures to write to an IFS file:

1. IFS_WRITE:  Write plain text to the IFS file
2. IFS_WRITE_UTF8:  Write UTF8 text
3. IFS_WRITE_BINARY:  Write binary text

All of these procedure have the same parameters:

Reading a file in the IFS with SQL

One the latest additions to Db2 for i in the latest Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.4 TR3 and 7.3 TR9, was a Table function offering us the promise of reading a file in the IFS.

In the past I gave an example of how to read a file in the IFS in a RPG program using UNIX-type APIs, but the promise of this Table function makes this new approach look so much easier.

There are three new Table functions that basically do the same thing, which one to use depends upon which format you want the data returned in:

1. IFS_READ:  Returns the data as plain text
2. IFS_READ_UF8:  Returns the data in UTF8 format
3. IFS_READ_BINARY:  Returns the data in a binary string

New RPG features for arrays

The new Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.4 TR3 and 7.3 TR9, has given us a couple of new additions to array handling in the RPG language.

The first is a Built in Function, %LIST, that allows me to fill an array in one statement, and introduced me to a concept I had not heard of in the RPG language before, a temporary array.

The other is an operation code, FOR_EACH, that allows me to read an entire array, one element at a time in a loop operation without having to condition the loop with the number of elements in the array.

Let me start with %LIST Built in Function.

Range test added to RPG

The latest Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.4 TR3 and 7.3 TR9, have added something I have wanted for a long time added to the RPG programming language, the ability to test if a value is within a range. This has been achieved by the introduction of a new Built in Function, %RANGE, and a new operation code, IN.

The syntax is very similar to the Range test I use in SQL:

if <value or variable> in %range(<minimum value or variable> : <maximum value or variable>) ;

Let me get on with some simple examples. First with a date:

TR day! 7.4 TR3 and 7.3 TR9

Today is an exciting day as the new Technology Refreshes, TR3 for IBM i 7.4 and TR9 for 7.3, are now available to download via PTF.

I wrote about what is in these when they were announced in October.

Links to the find the PTFs are:

• Db2 for i (inc. with database PTFs)
• RPG

I am now off to generate a support ticket to ask RZKH to load all of these PTFs. I can then start writing about all of the cool new stuff!

Entry plist in all free RPG

This post comes under the category of "I thought I had already written about this". I have written about calling programs with totally free RPG, and how to receive passed parameters to a RPG program with a main procedure, but I just forgot to write about how to receive parameters to a RPG program without a main procedure.

In fixed format RPG the entry parameter list would look like:

CL0N01Factor1+++++++Opcode&ExtFactor2+++++++Result+ 01 C *entry plist 02 C parm Parm

Now how do I do the same in free?

Getting "Run SQL scripts" to use the library list

Perhaps I am the only person who experienced this issue with my "Run SQL scripts", but I am going to share the solution I found.

I have to say "Run SQL scripts" is probably my favorite IBM i tool. I open it when I start my work day, and I use it all day to help me develop and test various SQL statements before I copy them into programs, procedures, or source members that I then create the objects from using the RUNSQLSTM command.

When the latest release of Access Client Solutions, ACS 1.1.8.5, was released I download the new install files, uninstalled the version of ACS I already had, and ran the install program to install it onto my PC. When it completed and I started to use "Run SQL scripts" again I found that I had to qualify the object, file, view, etc. name with the library. If I did not I always received the message telling me that the object was not found.