If you have read my previous blogs, you probably know that I recommend we all stop guessing file sizes and switch to SIZE(*NOMAX) for all physical files! Now for something a little more radical, STOP USING DDS and start defining your database objects with SQL instead! Upgrading from legacy DDS to SQL for defining tables,

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In almost all the IBM-i shops I’ve worked at, we have always set the initial size of physical files to what seems like a reasonable value. Quite often we just accept the system default of 10,000 records with three increments of 1,000 records each. Sometimes we tweak one or more of those numbers, usually the

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Welcome back to another dieting adventure in IBM-i land. Ever wondered why your IBM i disk space is disappearing faster than expected? Those fat libraries are usually the culprits. Follow my Fat Stuff Blogs on how to use SQL to find the large objects on our IBM-i systems. Here is a quick and practical lesson

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If you are working with stored procedures on your IBM i system, you know they are handy for encapsulating business logic and making your SQL calls more efficient. But what happens when you need to back them up or restore them after a hiccup? Today, I am walking you through the process in a straightforward

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IBM i SQL Stored Procedures are the King of the IBM i Database Jungle Welcome to a deep dive into the world of database management! Today, we’re focusing on a powerful tool that can transform how you handle data: stored procedures. Whether you’re working with IBM i, SQL Server, or another database system, stored procedures

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Converting an old Physical File (PF) to a modern SQL table can significantly enhance your database’s functionality and performance. Here are the general steps to achieve this: Here’s a simple example of how you might convert a PF to an SQL table: Creating SQL TABLES is easy – so How do we convert old DDS

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Playing with SQL on the IBM i System: IBM-i Aggregate Functions In the world of data management, SQL (Structured Query Language) stands out as a powerful tool for querying and manipulating databases. Among its many features, aggregate functions are some of the most valuable yet often underutilized capabilities. These functions allow you to perform calculations

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Or — Two cool techniques to find the largest IBM i IFS Folders But first, what is the IFS? The IBM i Integrated File System (IFS) is a component of the IBM i operating system. It provides a unified interface for accessing and managing different types of file systems, similar to those found in personal

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The AS400, iSeries and IBM i Power Systems are famous for their resilience and ability to handle really large files sizes and thousands of users at the same time. Database files (aka TABLES) can be massive or even set to SIZE(NOMAX). I was just in an interesting meeting where the question was “What if application

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What are Spool Files? Spooled files on an IBM i System (AS400/iSERIES) are a way to manage output data for printing or processing. They can contain basic text layouts of printed pages, or complex PDF style data streams. Here’s how they work: So, IBM i Spooled Files are virtual printouts, helping you manage input and output

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How to find IBM i File Record Locks with pure OS Commands To find file record locks on IBM i using the DSPRCDLCK (Display Record Locks) command, follow these steps: In this example: How to find IBM i File Record Locks using SQL In the IBM i environment, you can use SQL to check for

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More SQL Basics from the AI Archives How to initialize a timestamp variable using ibm i sql To initialize a timestamp in IBM i SQL, you can use the CURRENT TIMESTAMP special register which specifies a timestamp based on the reading of the time-of-day clock when the SQL statement is executed. If you need a

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