Renaming IFS files using SQL

In the past if I needed to rename files in the IFS I would either use the Rename Object command, RNM, or used the 'Integrated File System' tool in ACS.

The latest round of Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR3 and 7.4 TR9, brings us a Db2 for i, or SQL, scalar function that allows me to rename files in the IFS, IFS_RENAME. The scalar function has three parameters:

1. FROM_OBJECT:  The path of the file to be renamed.
2. TO_OBJECT:  The path of what the file will be called.
3. REPLACE:  If there is a file with the To Object name should it be replaced? 'YES' and 'NO' are the allowed values. If none is given the default is 'NO'.

SELF improvement

Having asked at several conferences I seem to be the only person using SELF to capture SQL errors. SELF, or SQL Error Logging Facility, was introduced in IBM i 7.5 TR1 and 7.4 TR7, as a way to capture SQL errors and insert them into a table that I could use to diagnose and remedy those errors. The major drawback of this tool was that I would have to list all of the SQL codes I was interested in and insert them into a SQL Global Variable every time I wanted to use SELF.

This was remedied as part of the latest Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR3 and 7.4 TR9, now I could use the special values of '*ERROR', '*WARN', or '*ALL'. Rather than list all of the SQL codes I could just use one of these to capture all errors, all warnings, or all errors and warnings. Which makes my life a whole lot easier.

Getting statistics for jobs that have ended

One of the new additions to Db2 for i, or SQL, in the latest Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR3 and 7.4 TR9, is a new Table function ENDED_JOB_INFO. This Table function exists in the SYSTOOLS library. ENDED_JOB_INFO allows me to retrieve some information about jobs that have, as the name suggests, ended.

ENDED_JOB_INFO has two parameters:

1. START_TIME:  The start of the range of jobs to find. If a job starts on or after this time it will be included in the results. If no value is given the default is the current timestamp less one day.
2. END_TIME:  End of the range. If no value is given the default is '9999-12-30-00.00.00.000000'.

SQL repeat scalar function

The idea for this post came from Jonathan Heinz who brought to my attention the REPEAT SQL scalar function in a comment to a post. I have to admit I had not heard of it so this post is examples of how I played with it to become familiar with its use.

Being a scalar function it can be used within a Select, Set, or Values statement. Its syntax is:

REPEAT('characters-to-repeat', number-of-times-to-repeat)

I started playing with it in ACS's Run SQL Scripts, using a Values statement:

Enumeration of constants comes to RPG

Enumeration definitions have been added to RPG as part of the Fall Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR3 and 7.4 TR9. This allows me to define a list, or group, of constants in one definition structure. Personally I would only include related constants in one enumeration group, but I could include all of my constants, both related and unrelated, in one group.

The definition looks very similar to how to code a data structure definition.

01 dcl-enum EnumerationName ; 02 Name1 'Value 1' ; 03 Name2 'Value 2' ; 04 end-enum ;

Creating Excel spreadsheets with SQL

One of the more eye-catching additions to Db2 for i in the latest round of Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR3 and 7.4 TR9, was a SQL scalar function that would create a Microsoft Excel compatible spreadsheet in the IFS.

For years we have been able to create Common Separated Variable length file, CSV, by copying data to the IFS. This can be opened using Microsoft Excel and then saved as an Excel compatible spreadsheet. This is the first time an easy-to-use method has been provided, as part of native IBM i, to allow us to create an Excel in the IFS from data in the Db2 database.

The new scalar function is called GENERATE_SPREADSHEET and is found in the library SYSTOOLS. It has a number of parameters that need to be passed to it:

Check if license product installed

I was performing some testing on a different IBM i partition where I wanted to take a spool file and generate a PDF in my IFS folder. I received an error saying that "Transformation services not loaded". Before I move my testing to another partition I wanted an easy way to check is "IBM Transformation Services for i" is installed.

I could check using the Work License Information, WRKLICINF, as the message suggested. But I my profile does not have sufficient authority to use it.

Fortunately there is an alternative I can use. I need to thank IBM Db2 for i chief architect, Scott Forstie, for bringing to my attention a SQL View that provides me with an easy to way to accomplish what I want.

Happy New Year 2024

Another year has passed and we all look forward into the New Year, 2024, with excitement thinking of all the good things it can bring to us all.

Before I put the old year out of mind, what did it bring us in the IBM i world?

• After seven years the end of regular support of IBM i 7.3
• Ten years after its announcement the end of service for IBM Power8 servers
• Two new Technology Refreshes for 7.4 and 7.5

What did you find the most interesting last year? These were the top ten popular posts from last year: