RE: Search OS/400 Physical Files -- MIDRANGE-L

CR Spence and like thinkers,

" Out from under the Norse bridge, more snide commentary instead of any
useful input on how to solve the issue presented by the OP."

Not my problem to solve... I'm a user of a product, and so is Shannon, that requires a function like he is used to seeing in competing products (whether you admit it or not) and I'm not seeing it except in some Goldberg contorted way that is too complex or I"m getting solutions like "use Grep" or some such. The solution must come from those that supposedly have a solution like I'm looking for or say, can't be done natively with this product. But, because egos of die hard cool-aid drinkers (the i5/i5OS, love it or leave it[wow, shades of the '60s). VERY few will admit the short coming.

"<sarcasm> Way outdated.... So, so true. People are asking week after
week for such a function. This forum, USENET, and elsewhere; they are
just deluged with such requests over the years. </sarcasm>"

Wow, you mean you have to tell folks via such labels when you're being sarcastic? How sad.

"If it were such a /simple/ function there would have been plenty of
offers for resolution already...." Using a line from a movie, "Excuses, excuses, excuses". But I don't see anything close to my, and I think others, requirement. And, if it doesn't exist, then admit to the short coming.

Now, your words on the complexity of the problem, are acknowledged. Don't care... I have a requirement and I'm looking to the solution to be there, in some easy to use format, like (I hate myself for saying this) Windows. Even it is three tools, one for text files, one for what you all call database files or one for compiled objects or whatever.

I've sincerely tried all the functions, as I understand the folk on here to explain them, for FNDSTR... WRKF. WRKOBJPDM, etc. Now, either the instruction is bad or I'm not getting it. But, and I don't just say cavalierly, I think I get what each of those do. But, they ALL fall short of a Windoz-like search function. I know the i5 is not Windoz, it SHOULD be much better, but in this instance is wayyyy short.

I find it hard to believe that no one, in all the years this basic OS architecture has been around, since the S/38 days if I remember my first experiences, have EVER wanted a native tool that allowed them to do a global string search in as easy a fashion as it is done in Windoz. I simple can't believe that. What I WILL believe is that this OS community is SOOOOO used to backward stuff and rolling their own and drinking the Rochester kool-aid and do or die loyal, they've never bothered to insist their OS stay in step, or better yet, surpass, the others on the market.

So, I'm a user, and an influencer of the folks with the checkbook, and I have a requirement. The OS can either meet it or it can't. I haven't seen a native answer yet that is as easy as the Windoz SEARCH function.

Now, it seems that Vern may have come close with a WDSC solution. Is that a new GUI front end for the i5/OS? From what I've see, it appears so. But, unless I'm totally unaware, WDSC is not native to the OS we have; its an extra cost add on. If you say that for advanced functions, I have to buy more modern GUI tools from IBM or other vendors, no problem, just say the function doesn't exist, native, but can be done via this tool or that tool or that tool, etc. But, don't say i5/OS, do or die and then chide me if I have other experiences that say, ahhh, you're a bit myopic. You seem to forget, I WANT the i5 or the name de jour, to be out there in front. So, if I'm critical, its because it isn't, and its followers have not insisted it be so with the fervor which they use to chide me, from what I can see.

Thanks,

Dave