Information Systems:IBM i General Overview

Overview

This computer has had several different names. They may be used interchangeably here, and when looking up information on the internet. The names are AS/400, iSeries, System i, and just plain i.

Command line

A ‘command line’ allows you to key in commands or programs. Depending on where you are, it looks something like this –

Selection or command ===> ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Or this –

Parameters for options 1, 2, 3 or command ===> ________________________________________________________________________________

Library List

Objects on the i are grouped together in ‘libraries’; which are similar to ‘directories’, or ‘folders’ on a PC, except have only one level. A ‘library list’ is like a ‘path’; it tells the operating system where to look for requested objects.

To see your library list, key in DSPLIBL and press enter.

- Libraries that begin with ‘Q’ are supplied by IBM. (It is a bad idea to start with ‘Q’ when you are building your own objects.)

- ‘QTEMP’ is only accessible by the current job, and will be deleted when it ends. Temporary files can be put here so that they do not have to be implicitly deleted at job end. If work files are put here, each job will have its own data; instead of data for multiple jobs getting mixed together.

- ‘UWDQSYS’ contains objects that we have created, and want available to all users and jobs. As it is first in the library list, we can have our own versions of system objects. For example, program QSTRUP is called by the IPL. We have made changes to it to start up all our applications. It exists in both UWDQSYS and QSYS. Because UWDQSYS comes first in the library list, our customized version is called.

- Each ASW company has its own data libraries – they are changed in the library list when you change companies (green in the following list).

- ASW programs that we change or fix are in XX2480BP (purple), so that they are called instead of the base ASW programs. To test programs without affecting production, we would insert the test library before XX2480BP.

- Base ASW program libraries begin with ‘A’ (original, from Europe) or ‘U’ (modified in the U.S. for North America), then the version number. Notice that subsequent versions are higher in the library list, so that the latest release of a program will be called.

                             Display Library List                              
                                                            System:   BART     
                                                                             
                                              
  5=Display objects in library                                                 
                                                                               
                           ASP                                                 
Opt  Library     Type      Device      Text                                    
     UWDQSYS     SYS                   uniPharm - Custom - System Objects      
     QSYS        SYS                   System Library                          
     QSYS2       SYS                   System Library for CPI's                
     QHLPSYS     SYS                                                           
     QUSRSYS     SYS                   System Library for Users                
     QTEMP       USR                                                           
     UP1480BFVA  USR                   ASW PRODUCTION DATA FILE LIBRARY        
     UP1480BS    USR                   ASW system objects for environment UP14 
     XX1480BP    USR                   ASW rel XX1:480B UWD Extensions (non AS 
     XX2480BP    USR                   ASW rel XX2:480B object library         
     UP1480BP    USR                   Aldon/CMS IBS/ASW450/UP1480B (PDN)      
     U480BP      USR                   Aldon/CMS IBS/ASW450/U480B (PDN)        
     U480AP      USR                   Aldon/CMS IBS/ASW450/U480A (PDN)        
     CVT454AP    USR                   ASW rel A:454A Appl CVT object library  
     A454AP      USR                   ASW rel A:454A object library           
     A453AP      USR                   ASW rel A:453A object library           
     A452AP      USR                   ASW rel A:452A object library           
     A450AP      USR                   ASW rel A:450A object library           
     QGPL        USR                   General Purpose Library                 
     RCSUTILPRD  USR                   RCS -- Utility Objects and Data -- Prod 
     UWDASWPRDD  USR                   UWD -- Extensions - VA - Data           
     UWDASWPRDP  USR                   UWD -- Extensions - Production -- Objec 
     TLABARCODE  USR                   T.L. Ashford & Associates Barcode400    
     WEBPRDD     USR                   Web -- Data -- Production               
     WEBPRDP     USR                   Web -- Programs -- Production           
     UWDUTILPRD  USR                   UWD -- Extensions -- Common Utilities - 
     UNIPHARMIT  USR                   UniPHARM IT Tools -- Includes Source

Menus

Menus are a way of grouping together related commands or programs. If you know the name, you can go directly there by keying in GO <menu name> on the command line. In ASW the menu name is in the upper right corner in the green screen, and is the last word on the top line of the GUI. This doesn’t work in Extensions, as it uses a custom menu system.

Commands

As a rule (of course there are exceptions), commands are made up of three character abbreviations; usually the first letter, then the next two consonants. For example, ‘work with active jobs’ is WRKACTJOB (there aren’t two consonants in JOB after the first letter). An exception is that ‘file’ is typically just ‘F’; as in WRKSPLF (work with spool files), and CPYF (copy file).

This makes it possible for you to guess a command. For example, perhaps you want to send someone a message. The code for this is ‘MSG’. All related commands are grouped together on menus, which are named ‘CMD’ plus the code. So to see all message commands, key in GO CMDMSG and press enter.

When you find what you think is the correct command, key in that menu option and press enter. The command will not be executed; its prompt screen will be displayed. Move the cursor to the name of the command (first line on the screen), and press F1. This will tell you what the command does, and what parameters are needed. Make sure to use F12 to exit back to the menu – not Enter – if you don’t want to execute the command.