DBU 7.0 GUI USER GUIDE
DATA BASE UTILITY
This software system consists of computer software and documentation. It contains trade secrets and confidential information which are proprietary to ProData Computer Services, Inc. ("ProData"). Its use or disclosure in whole or in part without the express written permission of ProData is prohibited.
This software system is also an unpublished work protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. If this work becomes published the following notice shall apply:
Copyright@ 1993 ProData Computer Services, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to ProData Computer Service's Data Base Utility 7.0 GUI documentation. DBU is a file access utility that can be used to locate and update records from a single file or as many as four different files via logical paths or relative record numbers. It can be used to access journal receivers, data areas and user spaces. You can create DBU applications to act as programs to access your data. There are thousands of ways to use DBU, and you will find new uses for DBU as you go.
This release operates on Microsoft Windows 95 and later or IBM'S Network Station with TCP/IP connectivity. The interface was developed using JAVA and the JAVA virtual machine is distributed with the software.
Minimum requirement is a Pentium III with 128M RAM.
We recommend a Pentium IV with 256M RAM for optimum performance.
DBU requires 45M of disk space.
Access to the files and features follows the standards used in the standard windows GUI interface.
NAVIGATION SCREEN
The first screen that appears when DBU 7.0 is started is displayed below.
This screen is composed of the following parts:
- • The Dialog Box, which allows the immediate opening of an object.
Dialog Box
Values for Library:
- • *LIBL
Values for Type:
- • *FILE
To prevent this dialog box from appearing when DBU is started, un-check Show this dialog on startup in the dialog box.
Menu Bar
File
Open an object
Configurations to control DBU. See the DBU Configuration topic in this document.
Exit DBU
View
Tool Bar – toggles the Tool Bar on/off the screen.
Status Bar - toggles the Status Bar on/off the screen.
Web Update Log - shows any errors that have occurred during a Web Update.
Turn Tracing On/Off - shows the status of the Trace log. This log may be set using the Config... on the File menu above. It is only used in the case of problem determination, by a ProData technician.
Tools
IFS Update - Execute IFS Client GUI Update.
There are two ways to execute the IFS update.
- 1. Configure DBU/client to automatically check the IFS for updates each time the client is started. Open the Configuration dialog, select the Updates tab, and select Check IFS for update on startup.
Web Update - Download a new version to DBU70 and IFS on the iSeries.
Web Update is a DBU client feature that allows the user to conveniently update DBU/iSeries and DBU/client executables from a PC. There are 3 steps to using Web Update.
- 1. Designate an update store
Designate an update store
The update store is an IFS directory on a specified iSeries machine where DBU keeps the latest version of the DBU/client. The first system added to DBU (on startup for the very first time) is designated as the update store. The update store can be changed on the Updates tab in the Configuration dialog. IMPORTANT: To keep the DBU/client versions in synch, each DBU/client must designate the same update store.
Execute a Web Update
- • From the Tools menu, select Web Update.
- o Contacting ProData – establish contact with ProData’s update server via the Internet.
Execute IFS Update There are two ways to execute the IFS update.
- 1. Configure DBU/client to automatically check the IFS for updates each time the client is started. Open the Configuration dialog, select the Updates tab, and select Check IFS for update on startup.
In both cases, DBU/client compares the IFS update and the current version to determine if an update is necessary. If so, the new files are transferred to the PC and DBU shuts down. Changes take effect upon subsequent startup.
Help
Help Topics - Brings up on line documentation for DBU 7.0 GUI.
About DBU - Shows the current installation level of DBU GUI on the PC and the information needed to contact ProData.
Tool Bar
Open a File
DBU Configuration - See the DBU Configurations topic.
On line Help – Brings up on line documentation for DBU 7.0 GUI
CHANGING THE LIBRARY LIST
Since only the files in the currently active library list may be accessed through the tree structure, the user may want to change the library list to access files. Please note that any file in any library may be accessed (except for authority exceptions), using the Open File options on the Menu Bar and Tool Bar as well as the start-up dialog box.
To change the library list, from the navigation screen below:
Right click on the system name to get the dialog box.
Move the cursor over Library List to see the options.
Click to choose one of the predetermined library lists (*LIBL *CURLIB, etc.)
**OR**
Click on Change Library List to get all of the libraries currently in the list, as shown below.
To add a library to the library list, click on 
to add it.
To remove a library from the library list, click on the library in the library list then click on 
to remove it.
To move the library in the library list, click on the library then use 
to move the library up or down within the library list.
For DBU70 to function properly the DBU70 library must be below the QTEMP library in the library list.
Click OK to complete the library list changes that have been selected.
Selecting a DBU Application
DBU Applications are a way of defining the way a file is to be accessed, (what logical files, fields, arrangement of fields, etc), and then saving those preferences as an application. DBU Applications must still be created through green screen DBU, but can be accessed through GUI. Right Click On the iSeries system name to get the dialog box, and then click on DBU Applications and a list of all existing DBU applications will be shown.
Click on the desired application then click on Select to run the application.
DBU Configuration
Access the DBU configuration screens from the file menu on the Menu Bar. DBU configuration allows a user to:
- • Edit the systems to be accessed by DBU
The top half of this window is used to add/edit/delete other iSeries systems to the DBU screen.
To add a system, click on Add, and the following pop-up window will appear.
It may be necessary to get the IP or Host Name from the System Administrator. The Descriptive Name is whatever the user wants it to be, so long as it is meaningful.
To edit or delete, first click on the desired system to be worked on and then click on Edit or Delete. A pop-up window will allow the user to edit.
After editing click on the Add button to confirm the changes.
The bottom half of the window configures the defaults and controls the DBU updates.
Click on the Defaults tab to set up default values for DBU.
See the following table for configuration information.
|
Format |
Determines whether the screen comes up in single or multiple mode. If *DBUAUT is left as the default, the system checks the DBU authority file to determine whether it is single or multiple format which is used. |
|
Mode |
Determines if the screen comes up in Add, Change or Display mode. If *DBUAUT is left as the default, the system checks the DBU authority file to determine what Mode is used. |
|
Records To Display |
DBU uses this number to determine how many records to display at a time in multiple record mode. The max number is 50. |
|
Print Audit Log |
DBU has the ability to print a log of all operations performed to the file in DBU. This option can be turned off here, or the option can be controlled by the DBU Authority file. |
|
View Tool Bar |
This is a toggle to remove or add the Tool Bar to the Navigation Screen. |
|
View Status |
This is a toggle to remove or add the Status Bar at the bottom of the Navigation Screen. |
|
Trace ON |
This is a toggle to start tracing the GUI statements if there is an error. Most generally the user will not use this unless directed to by a technician. |
Click on the Updates tab to name the system to which updates will be downloaded.
If only one system has been defined, the Store update on box will not be active, and the value in it cannot be changed. In the preceding figure, the Store update on box is “grayed out” because only one system has been configured for DBU. With multiple systems configured, Store update on can be opened as a drop down box where a user can select the system where the updates from the DBU downloaded file, will be stored. This is important, because if there are multiple users in the shop, then only the first person needs to download the updates. The rest will be automatically updated from the IFS if the Check IFS for update on startup box is checked.
Click on the JD Edwards tab to configure for J.D. Edwards data conversion.
Click on the J.D. Edwards format check box to enable. Then use the Environment pull down box to select the desired J.D. Edwards environment. Click on OK to apply.
ACCESSING FILES w/TREE STRUCTURE
To access a file (or any of the other objects that DBU can access) through the tree structure, click on the + sign beside any system name on the Navigation Screen. All the libraries on that system, which the user has authority to, will be listed. Click on the + sign besides any library and all the objects that are accessible by DBU will be listed.
In this case DBU70 was selected and all the various objects which can be accessed by DBU appear under the library. Clicking on the + sign at this level will bring up all the objects of that particular type, as shown above. Or click on the folder and all the objects of that type will appear on the right frame.
From here right click on the file name and select Edit
*or*
click on the + sign on the object level to bring up the various information that can be accessed for each file. This second option is shown below.
- • Fields - will show the all the field names, the field type the length of the field and the associated text.
As an example of working with a file, right click on file name DBPDEMO then click on Edit.
The file is now ready to work with.
ACCESSING FILES w/Navigation Bars
Open a file using the Menu Bar
- • Click on File on the Menu Bar
Open a file using the Tool Bar
-
• Click on
on the Tool Bar to get a Dialog Box
DATA EDITOR SCREEN
After successfully finding the desired file, the initial DBU Screen will appear. For documentation purposes, five major sections of the screen below have been identified.
Header
Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Tab Panel
Record Display Area
DBU Header Bar
This area denotes the Session number, System name, Library name, File name, Member name and Format name being accessed.
DBU Menu Bar
DBU Menu Bar - File
Close all – Will close all open DBU sessions
Position To…
This is valid for logical files only. Shows all keys on the logical file and sets DBU to point at the beginning of a specific key. Fill in the key(s) press OK. The file will be positioned at that key, or the next higher key if that key does not exist.
RDR – Retrieve Deleted Records
"RDR" is a toggle switch to set 'on' or 'off' the displaying of deleted records as they are encountered in the file. The records that are deleted appear highlighted in yellow as they are encountered. There will be a Reactivate button on the bottom of the screen; click on it and the record will be reactivated, and the next record in the file will be displayed. RDR is only valid if the file is a physical that is not keyed.
Config…
Configure DBU. See the DBU Configuration topic in this document.
Click on Print and the following dialog box appears. PC printer selections will be printed on the user’s default printer. For iSeries/AS400 selections the print out of the record goes to the OUTQ defined by the user job, or can be overridden to the OUTQ defined in DBU authority. When printing to a PC while in multiple record format mode, the number of records printed will be equal to the Records to display value selected in DBU Configuration.
Exit – Exits from the current DBU session
DBU Menu Bar – Edit
Use Copy and Paste just as in other windows applications to duplicate data.
DBU Menu Bar - View
The Toolbar and Status bar are toggle switches which allow the tool bar and the status bar (message bar at the bottom of the screen) to be removed from or restored to the screen.
DBU Menu Bar - Format
Preferences… - Controls the layout of the screen fields, and the reading of the formats (see DBU Preferences below)
Single/Multiple - The screen may be toggled between Single or Multiple record mode
Character/Hex - The records displayed may be toggled between Character or Hexadecimal format
DBU Preferences
Fields Preferences
The Fields Preference allows the user to:
- • Position the file to a particular field in the file
There are 3 pull down boxes at the top of the window
- • The Position to Field box will position the screen to the first or last field in the record
Text – the text of the field
Field Name – the field name
Both – in single record format only, the text description and the field name are both displayed
Alias – a name the user creates
The next portion of the window is used to make changes to the ways fields are presented and handled on the screen. All the fields in the file are initially shown.
Text - text defined for the field in DDS.
Field Name - name of the field as described in DDS. To move a field from its current position on the screen, click on the field and use the Up/Down keys to position the field on the screen.
Key Sequence - shows the keys in the file, numbered from 1 (highest key) to nth (lowest key).
Select - is a toggle to either select a field for the screen, or to not show the field on the screen.
Display Only - is a toggle to select whether a field may be updated or not.
Auto Dup - is a toggle to select whether this field may be duped using the dup key.
Upper Case - is a toggle to select whether only upper case characters may be keyed, or whether mixed case characters are allowed.
The rest of the fields are definition only:
Type - defines the field type, whether numeric, alpha, etc.
Length - the length of field.
Dec - if a numeric field, this is the decimal positions.
Loc - position in the file of the starting character of the field.
When all the desired changes have been made, click OK to apply the changes.
Sequencing the fields on the screen.
To arrange the fields on the screen in a different order, select the field by clicking on it and then use the up and down arrows to move the field to another position.
Import
Use the Import button to define a DBU application which will allow the user to work with a file that is not externally described as though it is externally described. Select Source File to pull the field descriptions from an RPG source file. An RPG program must exist which has “I” specs defining the file. Select Physical File to pull the field descriptions from an existing physical file.
Import – Source File selected
- • Source File – the name of the source file that contains the RPG program which has “I” specs defining the field layout
Checked – DBU will present the file on the screen as though it was externally defined by the “I” specs. The original layout will not be presented. All applicable DBU operations can be performed.
Not Checked – DBU will present the fields defined in the "I" specs after the file defined fields. This works as a data structure but the data will be presented twice. Updating either the original data field or the imported fields will update the file. All applicable DBU operations can be performed.
Import – Physical File selected
With this function a physical file description can be used to separate data in a data area into fields.
Export
Use the Export button to create/change the physical file member in a source file from the fields selected on the field selection screen. The fields will be ordered by the sequence number on the field selection screen. If no fields are selected, all fields will be copied. This may be used two ways:
1. Create source specs for an S/36 described file.
2. Create new source member for an existing externally described file
Caution: The default source member name is the file name of the externally described file. If using this method, change the source member name and/or the source and library name or the original physical file specification will be replaced
- • Source File – the name of the source file which will contain the physical file specifications to be created or changed.
*SAME - do not change the text on an existing member.
Text - either change text on an existing member or define text for a new member. Text will not carry to new member if it is being created from an existing member.
Create Field
The Create Field button can be used two ways:
- • 1 Breakup fields into smaller fields if they are not packed.
Click on the Create Field button and the following screen appears.
Fill in the boxes:
- • Field Name - the name of the new field, must be unique in the file
When all the boxes are filled in, press Add, and the new field will appear at the top of the Preferences screen. Create as many fields as desired. New fields will appear in order as they are created and will have a * in the field type to identify which are the created fields. The new fields can then be selected for a DBU application and all applicable DBU operations will apply. Fields are created for applications only. The source member of the physical file will not change.
Remove Field
The Remove Field button will work only for fields that have been created using the Create Field button. If no fields have been created the Remove Field button will be inactive. To remove a field, click on the field to be removed to highlight it and make the Remove Field button active, then click on Remove Field.
Sort Keys
The Sort Keys button is used with keyed physical and logical files. Pressing Sort Keys will reorder the displayed fields, placing the keyed fields at the top in key sequence order.
Headings Preferences
The Headings preference displays the column headings for each field.
Formats Preferences
The Formats preference allows the user to select which format(s) of a multiple format logical file is to be worked with. Select the option wanted, and press the OK button to return to the DBU process.
DBU Menu Bar - Mode
This defines the action that is to be taken on the records in the file. The modes are Display, Edit, Add, Delete and Refresh. When Display, Edit or Add is chosen, the screen remains in that mode until changed. Delete functions only in single record format.
- • Display puts the file in Display mode. No updates or deletes can be performed.