RE: Logical File or OPNQRYF or any other way ? - Legacy iSeriesFlatFiles

[michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

So the iSeries database consists of 1 to many data stores that can be
manipulated using relational constructs, but since the keys (primary
and foreign) are not known to a governing entity, the iSeries database
can't be identified as a RDBMS. Is that a fair statement?

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: RE: Logical File or OPNQRYF or any other way ? -
> Legacy        iSeriesFlatFiles
> From: "Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Tue, March 08, 2005 9:37 am
> To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> This is certainly true.  Well, almost true: the primary and foreign keys
> are certainly defined, they're just not identified to the RDBMS.  In the
> bad old days before triggers and constraints, we didn't worry about
> these things because it was all taken care of in the program anyway.
> 
> You only need those things identified if you are trying to implement
> some of the more advanced RDBMS features such as cascading deletes and
> updates and constraints to avoid orphans.  Personally, I'm about 50/50
> on those; they're nice, but almost as easy to write myself provided I
> follow the simple rule of only one program to update the database.
> Plus, with your own program, you can implement performance tweaks like
> submitting a cascaded delete to batch while letting the primary program
> continue on.
> 
> Joe
> 
> > From: Wilt, Charles
> > 
> > For a relational DB to be managed by a relational DBMS, there have to
> be
> > relationships between the data defined.  All too often, DBs on the
> iSeries
> > don't have primary and foreign keys defined.
> 
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