02
Sat, Nov
2 New Articles

Modules, Modules Everywhere

RPG
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Determining the usage of a module on your system can be a difficult task. There are opportunities to use a module object in any number of programs or service programs. This means you should keep track of where those modules are used. Unfortunately, no command--not even DSPPGMREF--provides this kind of information.

But before I get into that, I need to make a couple of corrections.

In the last issue, I inadvertently mixed up the CRTxxxMOD and CRTBNDxxx commands in the article entitled "The ILE Program Model from the Compiler Perspective."

The CRTBNDxxx commands are used when PDM option 14 is selected to compile a source member. The CRTxxxMOD commands are used when PDM option 15 is selected to compile a source member.

The CRTBNDxxx commands are the commands that provide a single-step, source-to-*PGM feature. They compile the source, generate a *MODULE object in QTEMP, and then bind that module into a *PGM object. Afterward, they delete the *MODULE from QTEMP.

Now, let's get back to determining where you used your modules. Once a program is created, there are two methods for viewing the names of the modules that were used to create the program. The first method is DSPPGM. DSPPGM has several screens of information you may page through. One of these screens contains the names of the modules that were used to create the program. In addition, you may display the module's object information by selecting option 5 from the same screen. The second method to access the list of modules used to create a program or service program is by using either the QBNLPGMI API or the QBNLSPGM API. QBNLPGMI lists the modules used to create a *PGM object, and QBNLSPGM lists the modules used to create a *SRVPGM (service program) object.

These APIs return their information into a user space object that may be retrieved into any RPG program. Once the information is retrieved into RPG, you may of course do anything you want with it, including write it out to a database file.

The parameters are similar for both of these APIs. In fact, why there are two different APIs is mysterious. IBM could have accomplished the same effect with one, by adding an object-type parameter. The table in Figure 1 illustrates the parameter list for both the QBNLPGMI API and the QBNLSPGM API.

Parameter
Data Type (Length)
Description
User Space
Char(20)
This is the name of the user space that will receive the program information. The first 10 positions contain the user space name. The second 10 positions contain the library name.
Format
Char(8)
This is thee API format ID. For QBNLPGMI, generate a list of module names used by the program PGML0100. For a list of service programs used by this program, use format PGML0200.
For QBNLSPGM use SPGL0100 for a list of module names and SPGL0200 for a list of service program names.
Program Name
Char(20)
This is the name of the program whose module list is generated. The first 10 positions must contain the program name. The second 10 positions must contain the library name.
The program name may be generic, full, or *ALL. The library name may be a full library name or any of the traditional special library values, such as *ALL, *LIBL, *CURLIB, *ALLUSR, or *USRLIBL.
API Error DS
Char(16)
This is the API error data structure. It contains feedback information on any errors that occurred during the API call. The first 4 bytes of this data structure should be a binary field that contains the length of the data structure. The second 4 bytes indicate how much data is returned by the API (if any). Typically, you can declare a 16-position data structure and initialize it to *ALLX'00' and ignore the error data structure.

Figure 1: Both the QBNLPGMI API and the QBNLSPGM API use these parameters.

And the Results Are...

When these APIs are called, they produce a lot of useful information. Figure 2 shows the information about each module that the PGML0100 and SPGL0100 format produce.

Data Type (Length)
Description
CHAR(10)
Program/service program name
CHAR(10)
Program/service program library name
CHAR(10)
Bound module name
CHAR(10)
Bound module library name
CHAR(10)
Source file name
CHAR(10)
Source file library name
CHAR(10)
Source file member name
CHAR(10)
Module attribute
CHAR(13)
Module creation date and time
CHAR(13)
Source file updated date and time

Figure 2: PGML0100 and SPGL0100 generate this information.

The APIs also return a lot of other program/service program attribute information in these formats. That information, however, has little to do with the module "where-used" information you want.

By calling either of these APIs, you can retrieve the module information and then write that information out to a database file. Once the database file has been created, you can use anything from Query/400 to SQL to extract a where-used list. See if you can get this working yourself. In the next issue, I'll provide the code to do just that: create a module-where-used database. But my solution will take advantage of the RPG ToolKit, which masks the complexities of the APIs with easy-to-use RPG IV subprocedure calls.

BOB COZZI

Bob Cozzi is a programmer/consultant, writer/author, and software developer. His popular RPG xTools add-on subprocedure library for RPG IV is fast becoming a standard with RPG developers. His book The Modern RPG Language has been the most widely used RPG programming book for more than a decade. He, along with others, speaks at and produces the highly popular RPG World conference for RPG programmers.


MC Press books written by Robert Cozzi available now on the MC Press Bookstore.

RPG TnT RPG TnT
Get this jam-packed resource of quick, easy-to-implement RPG tips!
List Price $65.00

Now On Sale

The Modern RPG IV Language The Modern RPG IV Language
Cozzi on everything RPG! What more could you want?
List Price $99.95

Now On Sale

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: