IBM i fans only - tips and tricks to start RPG free format programming with simple examples

#IBMiSample We can use %DAYS to add or subtract to a date. Hier is an example:

#IBMiSample The ACTIVE_JOB_INFO table function returns one row for every active job.  You can use it to get the same information as the WRKACTJOB command in an alternate mode. Look at the following examples: a. List all jobs of  user VDOTEST SELECT JOB_NAME, SUBSYSTEM, SUBSY00001, AUTHO00001, JOB_TYPE, FUNCT00001, FUNCTION, JOB_STATUS,  MEMOR00001                 FROM TABLE(ACTIVE_JOB_INFO())                                 WHERE JOB_NAME LIKE '%VDOTEST%'                               b. List all jobs of  subsystem QBATCH SELECT JOB_NAME, AUTHORIZATION_NAME, ELAPSED_TOTAL_DISK_IO_COUNT, ELAPSED_CPU_PERCENTAGE                                            F...

#IBMiSample INDARA (Indicator Area) keyword for ICF files workstn indds indicator data structure INDARA is used to put the field option indicators and function(response) key indicators in a separate area of memory called indicator area. By using this keyword, we can make indicator data structure in our program to give the customized name to indicators defined in the display file. Hence, it makes the program more readable and easy to understand. Step 1. indicate INDARA  keyword in your Display File Step 2. indicate INDDS in your RPG workstation file declaration dcl-f PKLTSFV workstn indds(Dspf) sfile(SFL1 : SF1NUM); Step 3. declare the  indicator area        dcl-ds Dspf qualified ;          Exit            ind pos(03) inz(*off);          SflClr          ind pos(50) inz(*off);          DspAtrRI        ind p...

#IBMiSample I'm tired of one-line messages. Too short. The average user needs clear and comprehensive messages. Then I need a large enough window to display a clear and complete message . Why not use a SUBFILE? A SUBFILE program can handle a list of many lines, a clear and complete message is just a list of many text lines! Here's how I did it I need a table that contains the messages.                           --                                                  --  RUNSQLSTM SRCFILE(VDOTEST1/QSOURCE) SRCMBR(W03AM00F) --                                                  CREATE TABLE VDOTEST1/W03AM00F (                  ...

#IBMiSample The Run SQL Statements (RUNSQLSTM) command processes a source file of Structure Query Language (SQL) statements. let's have an example: Create a source member AS52A00F into library VDOTEST1/QSQLSRC. VDOTEST1 is MyLibrary. Use your library name. AS52A00F.SQL

#IBMiSample How to check the correctness of a numeric date field 6 with 0 decimals. This program receives as input 1. a date in the DDMMYY format ( p_data ), for example p_data= 100612, that is June 10, 2012, an Error field ( p_error ). 2. a Flag field accepts date = 0 ( p_zero ). 3. returns a BLANK or 'E' value in the p_error field as a result of the check. CHKDATA.RPGLE       **free        ctl-opt option(*nodebugio:*srcstmt:*nounref) dftactgrp(*no)         ALWNULL(*USRCTL) ;         // Try with  STRDBG and         // CALL CHKDATA PARM(X'0120718F' 'x' 'N') valid date         // CALL CHKDATA PARM(X'0999999F' 'x' 'N') wrong date         // CALL CHKDATA PARM(X'0000000F' 'x' 'Y') no date, but it is allowed         // CALL CHKDATA PARM(X'0000000F' 'x' 'N') no date, it is not allowed         dcl-pi CHKDATA; ...

#IBMiSample Typically we have a table and we need to perform read, write, update operations. This simple program is an example of how. First of all look at  this post  and compile and populate these files to use this example.

#IBMiSample First of all please refer to  this post  to compile and populate the necessary files for this example. Then, compile the following sources: OT08SF.DSPF for the display file and OT08SF.SQLRPGLE for the RPGLE program.   Display File: OT08SFV.DSPF                                             CHGINPDFT(CS UL HI)                                             INDARA                                             CA03(03 'F3=EXIT')                                             REF(OTORD00F)       *--...

#IBMiSample A simple way is to leave the file open by ending programs with RETURN instead of SETON LR. Example: Program A calls Program B. Program B opens a printerfile and write some pages in the spool file. Program B closes with RETURN. The printer file is already open. Program A calls Program B again. Program B opens a printerfile (it is already open) and write some other pages on the same spool file. Program B closes with RETURN. The printer file is already open. Program A calls Program B again. Program B opens a printerfile (it is already open) and write some other pages on the same spool file. Program B closes with RETURN. The printer file is already open. ... and so on. At the end, run RCLACTGRP ACTGRP(QILE). This command will end the QILE activation group, it means the spool file will also be closed. I appreciate all the comments made on this blog.

#IBMiSample Let's try with a very simple csv like this, called file1.csv: Code;Name 3741;Joe 3742;Barth 3810; 3945; First of all we need to save file1.csv into ISF . In my PUB400 (free AS400 at pub400.com) I have this directory: /home/PALDO I copy file1.csv to  /home/PALDO Use standard FTP transfer software (I use WinScp, I think Filezilla will work too) Let's take a look inside my directory I type WRKLNK and I verify the existence of File1.csv It looks as expected: To import this file I need a similar table on DB2. In my example it means that I will create a table with a decimal field and a charachter field . I create the table TEMPCSV (PALDO1 is my Library): CREATE TABLE PALDO1.TEMPCSV ( CLCCL0 DECIMAL(7, 0) DEFAULT 0 , CLNOM0 CHAR(50) DEFAULT ' ' ) RCDFMT FMTXX Here's my new table TEMPCSV : The table  TEMPCSV  is now created and it is empty: We can optionally set up a source file to note lines not imported by the CPYF...