Having trouble with RPG creating an output file on AS/400

Joe,

Usually when a client comes to me with a similar request, they really want to the report image in some PC compatible format (PDF, XLS, CSV, TIFF, TXT, etc.).

There really are lots of options:

1) Grab the spooled output and convert it to PDF, TIFF ot TXT, as appropriate.
2) Modify the underlying program to export a database file (or XLS, CSV, etc)

What exactly do you mean by "softcopy"?

- Gary Patterson

My bad, my inexperience knows no bounds!  On the first part, the job is sent to QSYSPRT and the operators release it to do the hardcopies

I have attached another program which is (I believe) to be the rollup program.  Essentially, there are other programs that write the reports to a disk file.  Those disk files get concatenated into two file and the attach program concatenates the two files into one and gives it a name of  X071709X01.MBR  (that is date of 7-17-09).  From i-series, I can see that is goes to a library called IMAGECMIP, then CSDTCI.FILE and then the MBR.  I believe it is the two CPYF commands that do this.

If I could just grab the spooled file and concatenate it with the rest, that would save me from trying to do the O records and I could leave the original program as it is.  I am not sure how I would modify the attached code to do that, would you be able to help?

Joe

In RPG programs, I/O is performed through device-specific "files" that represent a particular device" Disk file, Tape file, Printer file.

You can use the OVRDBF (Override with Database File) in certain cases to override a Printer file to a Database file, without changing the underlying program that creates the printer file.

Assuming that the PRINTER file is called ADPCKFCH, then the database file MYLIB/ADPFCH needs to exist (OVRDBF will not create it), and you need to be redirecting the correct file from the RPG (the PRINTER file).

Post the WELRPT source code if you need more help.

- Gary Patterson

The original attachments are the welrpt source code.  The original version is the one that was sent to two printers, the second one was my modification which I had hoped would product output.

If there is not way for the O piece to work (I assume I coded it wrong), is there any way to modify the 3rd attachment (the rollup program) to include (concatenate) the spooler print file?

On the calling code piece, my understanding of the line:

OVRDBF     FILE(ADTRAN) TOFILE(MYLIB/ADTRAN1)

means that the database file MYLIB/ADTRAN1 (which does exist) will be used where referenced in the RPG program (where the I record calls it ADTRAN)

What I though would happen with this  part:

OVRDBF     FILE(ADPCKFCH) TOFILE(MYLIB/ADPFCH)

is the the O referenced in the RPG program ADPCKFCH would be written to an output file called MYLIB/ADPFCH.  If I understand your comment, in order for that to work, there has to already be a file called ADPFCH?  Would that be a CRTPF command?

Joe

Yes, you can use the CRTPF command to create the file you need.  Ignore the "source file" parameter, and just specify the correct record length (should match the report width).

Sounds like you understand.

Depending on lots of complexities, it is possible that your override isn't in effect when the RPG program gets run.  Specify OVRSCOPE(*JOB) - that will make sure that the override applies to all programs in the job.  Also make sure you DLTOVR the override immediately after you are through with it:

OVRDBF
CALL
DLTOVR

Keep in mid that overrides do not survive the SBMJOB command.  If you put an override in place and then submit a job to batch, the override will not apply to the work performed inside the sublitted job.  It will continue to apply in the submittING job.

====================================================================================

Let's back up.  Apparently, I never looked at your original source.  This is old RPG II-styple cycle-driven code, and my RPG II is about 15 years rusty, so bear with me.

I do notice that you are missing a "D"etail specification in you "O" specs for ADPCKFC in MyVersion-1.txt.  Needs to be above the "TYPE    3" line:

  O        D        01

The "D" instructs RPG to output this block when it is doing "Detail time" output in the RPG cycle, and only when indicator 01 is on (valid record read that matches input criteria specified in you I specs.

Create the file, then fix the detail spec.  You will have some issues with repeating page headings, too. Remember that your "C" specs get executed each time a new record is read from your primary file.

The attached code should get you there.  I was too lazy to replicate the ADTRAN layout, so I just use two fields, but you should get the gist of it.

- Gary Patterson

     H        1                                                         
     FADTRAN  IP  F     100            DISK                             
     FADPCKFCHO   F     133            DISK                      A      
     FQSYSPRT O   F     132     OF     PRINTER                          
     F*                                                                 
     IADTRAN  AA  01   1 CC   2 CT                                      
     I                                        1   2 TYPE                
     I                                        3 100 REST                
     I        NS  02                                                    
     C* EXCEPT THE REPORT HEADERS                                       
     C   OF                EXCPTHDR                                     
     C*                                                                 
     C           *INZSR    BEGSR                                        
     C                     EXCPTHDR                                     
     C                     ENDSR                                        
     OADPCKFCHEADD             HDR                                      
     O                                    1 '1'                         
     O                                    9 'AURCTRPT'                  
     O                                   41 'C O M P A N Y C E   W E'   
     H        1                                                           
     FADTRAN  IP  F     100            DISK                               
     FADPCKFCHO   F     133            DISK                      A        
     FQSYSPRT O   F     132     OF     PRINTER                            
     F*                                                                   
     IADTRAN  AA  01   1 CC   2 CT                                        
     I                                        1   2 TYPE                  
     I                                        3 100 REST                  
     I        NS  02                                                      
     C* EXCEPT THE REPORT HEADERS                                         
     C   OF                EXCPTHDR                                       
     C*                                                                   
     C           *INZSR    BEGSR                                          
     C                     EXCPTHDR                                       
     C                     ENDSR                                          
     OADPCKFCHEADD             HDR                                        
     O                                    1 '1'                           
     O                                    9 'AURCTRPT'                    
     O                                   41 'C O M P A N Y C E   W E'     
     O                                   63 'L F A R E   B O A R D'       
     O                                   76 'PAGE-'                       
     O                         PAGE6 Z   80                               
     O        EADD             HDR                                        
     O                                   44 'UNEDITED CT TRANSACTIONS'    
     O                                   53 'REPORTED'                    
     O                         UDATE Y   62                               
     O                                    5 'TYPE'                        
     O                                   25 'REST'                        
     O        DADD     01                                                 
     O                         TYPE       3                               
     O                         REST     103                               
     C*                                                                   
     OQSYSPRT H  206   OF                                                 
...
                                              

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I think I am getting close.  On my system, it would not allow be to enter the "*" in front of INZSR.  It says "The Factor 1 entry is invalid".  I hit F4 to bring up the prompts.  Level is blank, N01N02N03 is blank, Factor 1 has INZSR, Operation has BEGSR and the rest are blank.  If I enter an * anywhere to the left of INZSR, I get the message above.

I did the CRTPF for the ADPFCH file and it created successfully.  However, when I call myversion of the RPG, I still get no output.  Is that due to the missing *'s.  I have attached myversion.txt to this post which incorporates the changes you suggested.  Can you do a wuick sanity check on it for me?

I truly appreciate the help, hopefully we can get a AS/400 expert hired that will stay more then 2 days!

Joe

Joe,

I certainly understand your dilemma.  I see the same problem all the time, since my company frequently gets hired to provide ongoing support by organizations that are tired of dealing with AS/400 employee and/or contractor turnover.  We also get to clean up a lot of messes left by "short-timers".

What is the source type on your RPG program member?  RPG, or RPG36?  It must be RPG36: try changing the source type to RPG, then it should take *INZSR.  I'm not sure that the syntax is for INZSR in S/36 RPG II, and I don't have a manual handy.  RPG36 source type forces SEU and the RPG compiler to obey ancient System/36 RPG II syntax rules.  RPG will allow my *INZSR code.

Make sure the file that you created is in a library in the library list, and that no other file with the same name is higher in the library list.  You can test this using the WRKF command:

WRKF *LIBL/ADPFCH

If the program is not crashing, but not producing the output you expected, it probably means that it is writing to a file with the same name (or to an overridden file with a different name) someplace else.

Or just try switching output files to a completely new name that you know doesn't exist elsewhere ad is unlikely to be overridden (XMRWPQQY, or some other random name - then use WRKF to check).

Alternately, if you know how, you can run the program in debug, and look at the list of open files to see what files are being updated.

- Gary Patterson

Got a little enthusiastic with my last SWS example.  Drop the extra "10" pair.  There are only 8 switches.

- Gary Patterson

Eureka!  That was it, I now have output.  Looks like I have some cleaning up to do, it it printing a header, then data, then another header, etc.  Many many thanks for the assist!

Happy to help.

- Gary Patterson

If you use my code, you will see that it does not have the repeating header problem.

- Gary Patterson

Hmmm...my codes matches yours but it still prints the header lines

AURCTPR       C O M P A N Y C E  W E L F A R E  B O A R D          PAGE 1
                           UNEDITED CT TRANSACTIONS REPORTED
TYPE          PURPOSE    AMOUNT    <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
AURCTPR       C O M P A N Y C E  W E L F A R E  B O A R D          PAGE 2
                           UNEDITED CT TRANSACTIONS REPORTED
TYPE          PURPOSE    AMOUNT    <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>

It repeats, showing one line of data, then goes to a new page number.  I know this is closed, I can open a new question for this issue.

Joe

That's OK - post your current code one last time for me to look at and see what I can see.

- Gary Patterson

File attached..essentially, it should look like:
AURCTPR       C O M P A N Y C E  W E L F A R E  B O A R D          PAGE 1
                           UNEDITED CT TRANSACTIONS REPORTED
TYPE          PURPOSE    AMOUNT    <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
CT             <DATA>       <data>     <...>
AURCTPR       C O M P A N Y C E  W E L F A R E  B O A R D          PAGE 2
                           UNEDITED CT TRANSACTIONS REPORTED
TYPE          PURPOSE    AMOUNT    <...>

I tried moving some things around, definitely made it worse.  I had copied most of  the lines from the original printed output thinking it would be the same...wrong again!

Joe

Joe,

Your "C" specs aren't quite the same as mine, though if this is really the code you are running, you shouldn't see a new page generated with each row.

Does the repeating header problem happen in the file, the printed report, or both?  

- Gary Patterson

Mine:
     C   OF                EXCPTHDR     <-- Print headings on page overflow                                      
     C           *INZSR    BEGSR                                          
     C                     EXCPTHDR     <-- Print headings 1x during pgm initialization                                  
     C                     ENDSR         
 
Yours:
     C   OF                EXCPTHDR
     C           *INZSR    BEGSR
     C                     ENDSR

                                              

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The printed report is correct, but the disk copy was not.  I made the changes above, it is "almost" perfect.  What it is doing now is printing a page of data, then the header with Page 1, and then more data.  If there is an easy way to get the header above the first set of data, I believe that will do it!

Thanks!

Joe

Joe,

Please post your current code...

*INZSR BEGSR
EXCEPTHDR
ENDSR

Is supposed to print the headings before the first set of data.  Are you sure you have the EXCEPT HDR inside the BEGSR-ENDSR block?

- Gary Patterson

I believe mine looks like yours, file is attached.

This should do it.  Are you clearing the output file between runs?  Also change the following line of code:

     O        TADD     01
     O                         TYPE       3
     O                         PURPOS    39
 
change to
 
     O        DADD     01
                                              

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That did it!!!!  Many many thanks!  I truly hope we can find someone with your experience to take over our system.  Getting someone in to take over undocumented 30 year old code is no easy task.

Joe