RE: RPG400-L Digest, Vol 8, Issue 563 -- RPG400-L

As a rule, I would not plan to use ALTER TABLE to make changes to a
production file object, since it obscures my ability to recreate a file
object from source. In order to create a table that had been later
altered (possibly more than once), I would need the CREATE TABLE script,
as well as ALL alter table scripts that we applied to a file. This does
not work well, especially if you use a SCM product like Implementer or
TurnOver. Typically, I think you are best served adjusting the CREATE
TABLE script to include your new requirements, then doing a standard
MOVE/CREATE/COPY to create the new object.

Jmo,
-Eric DeLong

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Vern Hamberg
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 4:53 PM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i
Subject: Re: RPG400-L Digest, Vol 8, Issue 563

Jerry

ALTER TABLE is very much like CHGPF - of course, you need DDS to use the

latter. Someone in the thread said that you could re-order fields with
CHGPF - have never tried that. I don't think you can with ALTER TABLE,
only DROP or ADD to the end. But I've wrong once or twice before.

Vern

Jerry Adams wrote:

I, too, have gotten the "Data loss may occur" when using CHGPF. In

all cases it came when I was dropping some filler field that a S/34/36
programmer (that did not really understand blocking) had inserted to
make the field some factor of 256. Pressing help (F1) on the error
will, IIRC correctly, tell you what field is being dropped or truncated.

I have taken to using SQL's DDL to define tables in the last couple of

years. I have never had to change those tables, but I have wondered if
ALTER Table worked like CHGPF. Haven't tried it nor RTFM nor searched
the archives in this regard. When a real need arises, I will.

Thanks.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
--
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx

[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of dale janus

Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 8:16 AM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: RPG400-L Digest, Vol 8, Issue 563

Hmmm, why not use CHGPF?

Because old habits die hard?

Because the first time I tried CHGPF I got a warning message that

scared

me that I could lose data?

Because you're in a hurry?

CHGPF sounds like a better way of doing things that I will try next

time.

Thanks for the suggestions.

---Dale

Why do you use CPY instead of just doing a CHGPF on the file once you

added the new fields to the source? You can add the fields anywhere you
want and the CHGPF takes care of mapping the data

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx

[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of dale janus

Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 4:41 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: timestamp data type in DDS

Thanks to all who pointed out my dumb mistake of using *nochk instead

*map and *drop. That fixed it.

I wish PHP would say "invalid data" instead of Fetch failed. But at

least now I know what to look for.

I will sign up to midrange -l and ask future questions like this over

there, for those who suggested that approach.

Thanks.

---Dale

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