AS/400 and PDM (RPG IV and CL)

[jsplice]

Hello everyone. I recently began using the AS/400 system at work. The system here is very complex and I know it's going to take at least a few months before I'm somewhat comfortable navigating it. One thing that I need to do often is look at RPG and CL source code to figure out how reports are generated and where the programs are pulling the data from. I'd like to find some documentation on how to use PDM and SEU, but I'm having trouble finding anything good on the web. I'm sure there isn't much to it, but right now my knowledge of it is limited. For instance, when you are programming in RPG, depending on which spec you are working with, a prompt line appears at the top to help you line up the parameters correctly. When viewing code, it seems like the prompt line corresponds to the very first line of code displayed on the screen. Is there a way to change that prompt by selecting any line of code on the current screen? This may be a very simple question for someone who is experienced, but like I said, I started using the AS/400 for the first time in my life last week.

Also, are there any RPM IV and CL programming APIs on the web to help me out?


John

 

[Artiztik]

When you are editing a source member you are actually using SEU (Source Code Utility) which is not a part of PDM. Pressing F1 while you are in SEU will give you lots of information about the line commands you can use for prompting. F1 help is cursor sensitive, so place your cursor at the position where you want help, then press F1.

The IBM manuals can be found at:

http://as400bks.rochester.ibm.com/pubs/html/as400/infocenter.htm

Hope this helps.

http://www.artiztik.com

 

[jsplice]

Thanks, Artiztik. Any help I can get is good at this point. This system seems very different to me, the way things are laid out. The one thing that makes it so difficult to learn the system here is the short names on all the files. Well thanks again.

 

[jmanj]

Besides the link to IBM books as mentioned above. You can ask
your Administrator if they have a training tapes available. These tapes can also be ordered thru IBM. I know this because this is how I trained my programmers, operators and analysts.

It has been awhile but I forgot the name of these training tapes. The online books as mentioned above are only good as
references to the experienced.

 

[jmanj]

Just for FYI. In the late 60s we used to call SEU,SDA, DFU and other utilities as part on one huge program called $SFGR or
simply called screen format generator. This is where we mastered the green screens(5250 programming). From S/3 to S/34
to S/38 and finally to AS400 the same $SFGR has been chopped into several functions and this is what you are using today.

 

[JSutor]

The training tapes used for new employees at our facility are called ATS tapes. They are tapes that you listen to and go through the training manuals and exercises. Also a good reference for the AS/400 is

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries/v5r2/ic2924/index.htm

this offers all the resources and information you will need to learn you way around the link for RPG is

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries/v5r1/ic2924/books/c0918160.pdf

and the CL information is at

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries/v5r2/ic2924/index.htm

and

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries/v5r2/ic2924/index.htm?info/rbam6/rbam6clfinder.htm

Hope this helps you get off to a good start.

 

[JSutor]

Here is the link for the ATS tapes:

http://www.ibmuser.com/

 

[arrow483]

My suggestion: Forget about SEU. Try WSDc (free with your AS400 if you have a compiler). Runs on the PC and is way ahead of SEU.

 

[JSutor]

I agree with arrow483 WDSc is a very good tool and removes most of the green screen usage. However, I would still learn the basics of SEU. I often go in to SEU to make small changes because WDSc takes so long to load things up.