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" Hello Dan, The answers were in the Object API manual on the softcopy CD. I used the version for VRM410. I did verify some things in the other manuals I mentioned but here is the process I used. I had to read the information for the creation attributes and then the information for adding entries to realise the relationship between the insert method and the creation attributes. The manuals simply describe the functions, they generally don't discuss the actual use. Sometimes you'll find an example that helps explain things but most example code tends to be trivial (and that's not an IBM problem. How many of the books on C discuss signal handling properly or show a function returning anything more complex than an int or float? Java books are the just as bad ... nothing for the real world.) Don't think that IBM is deliberately hiding things from customers. The internal documentation is written in a similar style. The advantage internal staff have is the ability to walk down the corridor and talk to the fellow who wrote the stuff. "So Joe, how does this piece of crap you wrote actually work?" You should have heard me swearing at IBM when the documentation for the Virtual Terminal APIs wasn't accurate and I spent an afternoon trying to find what was wrong with my code (Of course, I should have known better. I wrote it, how could it possibly be flawed :) I think the "system's programmers" get to do all the fun stuff but if I knew someone who'd hire a good (if opinionated) AS/400 SysProg I'd be in the job!!!! :) IBM make it too easy to run an AS/400 and most sites have no need of a SysProg (and wouldn't pay enough for one anyway). If I could get paid what I think I'm worth to play with the AS/400 internals ... Heaven, I'd be in heaven ... I believe a SysProg and an AppProg think differently. The SysProg thinks about the bits and bytes, the AppProg thinks about the business requirements. The SysProg wants to know HOW it works, the AppProg just WANTS it to work. Dean Asmussen has made the point before about techo's not knowing a chart of accounts from a packing slip. I could learn that stuff but I don't enjoy it so why suffer the pain? This is likely to be my last append. My girlfriend thinks I need to start packing! Regards, Simon Coulter. «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» «» FlyByNight Software AS/400 Technical Specialists «» «» Eclipse the competition - run your business on an IBM AS/400. «» «» «» «» Phone: +61 3 9419 0175 Mobile: +61 0411 091 400 «» «» Fax: +61 3 9419 0175 mailto: shc@flybynight.com.au «» «» «» «» Windoze should not be open at Warp speed. «» «»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» //--- forwarded letter ------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Mon, 02 Aug 99 18:29:56 -0400 > From: "Dan Bale" <dbale@genfast.com> > To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > Subject: Re: User Index APIs - where find REAL reference material? > > > > Simon, thanks for your response. > > >>This stuff isn't really that hard.<< > Agreed! But it would be nice to make informed decisions and get it right the > first time instead of testing this or that and fiddling around with parameters > because IBM didn't provide adequate documentation. Time is short; I am a >father > of three young children. I will try to find the manuals you mentioned. > > Thanks for answering the specific questions. > > >>Well, my usual mantra of RTFM applies again. The information is in the IBM > manuals but needs to be nutted out.<< > Are my specific questions answered somewhere in an IBM manual that exists on >the > softcopy cd-rom? In other words, you knew the answers to my questions because > you first saw it in the manuals? Or did you dete"mine this through trial and > error? > > >>Perhaps I find the IBM manuals easier to read than other people but they are > intended for system programmer's.<< > I can read IBM manuals just fine. I just need to know where to look. Again, > I'll check out your references. > > Tell me what a "system programmer" does on an AS/400. Are these the ones that > get to do all the "fun" stuff? (Left that one wide open, you'll notice!) Who > hires AS/400 system programmers? > > Hope you'll get this before you fly off to visit the queen! > > -Dan Bale +--- | This is the Midrange System Mailing List! | To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com. | To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com. | To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com. | Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com +---
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