TAAMODIFY -- Modifying a TAA Tool

Modifying a TAA Tool
****************************************************** * * * Caution: The TAA Productivity Tools are * * designed to run from the TAATOOL library. * * Direct references to other TAA functions * * in the TAATOOL library may occur in the * * tool you are attempting to modify. * * * **************************************************** General Unlike i5/OS code, the TAA Tools are created from standard source such as CL, RPG, and DDS. You may change the source for your own unique requirements and then re-create the tool. Requirements to run the TAA Productivity Tools Only i5/OS is required to run the vast majority of the TAA Productivity Tools. Because the object form is shipped, you do not need any special products to run these tools. A few tools require RPG or assist in writing RPG programs. An English dictionary is provided, but to spell check other languages, you need your own dictionary or the system dictionary product. Requirements to modify the TAA Productivity Tools You can modify certain tools and re-create them with the CRTTAATOOL command with the following exceptions: - Many tools require the RPG compiler in the re-create process. - A few tools such as DUPTAPIN tool use C object code which is provide. You can determine what is required for a tool to be re-created by reviewing the 'Objects used by the tool' section in the documentation provided for each tool. If the attribute 'RPG' exists for one of the objects, you will need the RPG compiler to re-create the tool. CRTTAATOOL Command If you need to re-create any part of a tool, you should use the CRTTAATOOL command to re-create the entire tool rather than using commands such as CRTCLPGM or CRTRPGPGM directly. The CRTTAATOOL command will issue the appropriate commands (e.g. CRTCLPGM) for you. There are several reasons for using CRTTAATOOL rather than individual CRT commands like CRTCLPGM: - Some of the CRT commands that are run by CRTTAATOOL use special parameters for various functions such as security, and help text. - Some of the object creation steps require temporary objects be created or a specific sequence of steps. CRTTAATOOL performs these steps correctly. - Some tools require prerequisite tools and the CRTTAATOOL command does a better job of checking these rather than having the compiler or run time code fail. Creating a library where changes can be made The CRTTAATOOL command requires that the source exist in files such as QATTCMD, QATTCL and QATTDDS. The CRTTAASRCF tool is provided for you to create these files in a unique library. A typical command would be: CRTTAASRCF LIB(xxxx) **************************************************** * * * You should not use the QATTxxx files in * * the TAATOOL library for permanent source * * changes. The TAATOOL source files will * * be overlaid on a new release of the * * TAA Productivity Tools. * * * ****************************************************** Identifying the source to be changed Each tool documentation member has a section near the end that identifies the objects and source used by the tool. You should review this section for the names of the source members that you will need to consider when making a change. Use the DSPTAA command to review the tool documentation. Copying source from the Archive The source for the tools exists in the TAA Archive. Special commands are provided to work with the Archive including the CPYTAA2 command which will copy out all of the source for a particular tool. You must know the tool name that you want to modify. You can use CPYTAA2 either directly or as an option from the WRKTAA subfile display. For example, to extract the source for the CPYSRCTYP tool, specify: CPYTAA2 TAAARCMBR(CPYSRCTYP) TOLIB(xxxx) REPLACE(YES) No command is provided to change the source members within the TAA Archive. The source should remain as shipped with the TAA Productivity Tools. This allows you to re-create a tool as it was originally shipped. Changing the source in your library after CPYTAA2 You can use RDi, WRKMBRPDM, SEU, or any technique to change the source to meet your requirements. Using CRTTAATOOL If you have changed the source and are testing a change, you may use create commands such as CRTCLPGM or CRTCMD directly against your source. This can be effective in most testing situations. Once you have your changes fully tested, you should use the CRTTAATOOL command to create a production version for the reasons described earlier. A typical command would be: CRTTAATOOL TOOL(CPYSRCTYP) SRCLIB(xxx) Note that you must specify a source library for the SRCLIB parameter. The object code is always created in the TAATOOL library. This includes a version of any command definitions objects. Some security sensitive tools will place certain objects in the TAASECURE library. If you have a command library that is other than TAATOOL, a second version of the command definition objects will exist in your command library. A command library may be specified at time of install or with the DUPTAACMD command. See the discussion of the 'Library List Requirements' on the HELPTAA menu. A second version of MENU objects and certain physical files used for data structure definitions will also exist in your command library if it is not TAATOOL. Providing command help text The help text for the TAA Tool commands is only provided in object form (no source is provided). If you do not change the command definition source for a tool, the CRTTAATOOL command will re-create the command with the proper help text reference. To avoid a single massive Help Panel Group object, several different Help Panel Groups are used that have a naming convention of TAAUIMnnn. The processing function of CRTTAATOOL specifies the specific Help Panel Group when a command object is created. This can be displayed by DSPCMD, but is not described in the Command source and is not documented externally. If you change the command definition source and want to provide your own version of the help text, you must modify the command with CHGCMD after using CRTTAATOOL. To create your own help text, you should consider the use of the CRTCMDHLP TAA Tool. If you have changed the command definition source (or want to change it), but still want to use the existing TAA command Help, do the following: - If you have replaced the command object with your own version, re-create the tool using the CRTTAATOOL command and name your source library (SRCLIB parameter). - Use DSPCMD to display the command. - Look for the 'Help panel group' value. It should be a value such as TAAUIMnnn in TAATOOL. - Replace the command object version with your version. - Specify CHGCMD HLPPNLGRP(TAATOOL/TAAUIMnnn) HLPID(xxxx) where xxxx is the name of the command. Impact of a New Release or Update Media When a new release or update media is provided for the TAA Productivity Tools, it will clear all the objects in the TAATOOL library. The new versions are then restored. Therefore, you will need to make your changes again. To determine if any of the source code for the tool has changed on the new release, you can use the CMPSRC TAA Tool. CMPSRC cannot be used directly against the TAA Archive members. You must copy out the new version of the source before you can compare against your modified source. The simplest solution is to use the CRTTAASRCF command to create the standard QATTxxx source files in a named library. Then copy the new version of the source to the library containing the source files with the CPYTAA2 command. Then use CMPSRC to compare against your modified source. If you make a significant number of changes to the TAA Tools, you should consider the use of the PKGSRC TAA Tool to assist in making changes. Recovery to the original TAA Archive version If you decide that you want to return to the object form of a tool that matches the source in the TAA Archive, use the default on CRTTAATOOL for SRCLIB which is TAAARC. For example, to re-create the CPYSRCTYP tool, you would specify: CRTTAATOOL TOOL(CPYSRCTYP) Note that you do not specify the SRCLIB parameter, but use the default of TAAARC. Determining if a tool was re-created You can check how a tool was created by using the CHKTAATOOL command such as: CHKTAATOOL TOOL(xxxx) This will produce output that describes the objects that make up the tool and where they were created. The output describes: - The date the TAA Productivity Tool tools were created at TAA Tools, Inc. - The create date, system, and create user of the objects that make up the tool. Determining the status of the TAA Productivity Tool Libraries The CHKTAALIB command may be used to determine the status of the TAATOOL and TAASECURE libraries. The tool will ensure that the correct objects exist and no foreign objects exist. The tool will also describe those objects that have been re-created since the product was installed. Copyright TAA Tools, Inc. 1995, 2021

Modifying a TAA Tool

        ******************************************************
        *                                                    *
        *    Caution:  The TAA Productivity Tools are        *
        *      designed to run from the TAATOOL library.     *
        *      Direct references to other TAA functions      *
        *      in the TAATOOL library may occur in the       *
        *      tool you are attempting to modify.            *
        *                                                    *
        ******************************************************

General

Unlike i5/OS code, the TAA Tools are created from standard source such
as CL, RPG, and DDS. You may change the source for your own unique
requirements and then re-create the tool.

Requirements to run the TAA Productivity Tools

Only i5/OS is required to run the vast majority of the TAA
Productivity Tools. Because the object form is shipped, you do not
need any special products to run these tools. A few tools require RPG
or assist in writing RPG programs.

An English dictionary is provided, but to spell check other languages,
you need your own dictionary or the system dictionary product.

Requirements to modify the TAA Productivity Tools

You can modify certain tools and re-create them with the CRTTAATOOL
command with the following exceptions:

-   Many tools require the RPG compiler in the re-create process.

-   A few tools such as DUPTAPIN tool use C object code which is
    provide.

You can determine what is required for a tool to be re-created by
reviewing the 'Objects used by the tool' section in the documentation
provided for each tool. If the attribute 'RPG' exists for one of the
objects, you will need the RPG compiler to re-create the tool.

CRTTAATOOL Command

If you need to re-create any part of a tool, you should use the
CRTTAATOOL command to re-create the entire tool rather than using
commands such as CRTCLPGM or CRTRPGPGM directly. The CRTTAATOOL
command will issue the appropriate commands (e.g. CRTCLPGM) for you.

There are several reasons for using CRTTAATOOL rather than individual
CRT commands like CRTCLPGM:

-   Some of the CRT commands that are run by CRTTAATOOL use special
    parameters for various functions such as security, and help text.

-   Some of the object creation steps require temporary objects be
    created or a specific sequence of steps. CRTTAATOOL performs these
    steps correctly.

-   Some tools require prerequisite tools and the CRTTAATOOL command
    does a better job of checking these rather than having the
    compiler or run time code fail.

Creating a library where changes can be made

The CRTTAATOOL command requires that the source exist in files such as
QATTCMD, QATTCL and QATTDDS.

The CRTTAASRCF tool is provided for you to create these files in a
unique library.

A typical command would be:

        CRTTAASRCF  LIB(xxxx)

        ******************************************************
        *                                                    *
        *      You should not use the QATTxxx files in       *
        *      the TAATOOL library for permanent source      *
        *      changes.  The TAATOOL source files will       *
        *      be overlaid on a new release of the           *
        *      TAA Productivity Tools.                       *
        *                                                    *
        ******************************************************

Identifying the source to be changed

Each tool documentation member has a section near the end that
identifies the objects and source used by the tool. You should review
this section for the names of the source members that you will need to
consider when making a change.

Use the DSPTAA command to review the tool documentation.

Copying source from the Archive

The source for the tools exists in the TAA Archive. Special commands
are provided to work with the Archive including the CPYTAA2 command
which will copy out all of the source for a particular tool.

You must know the tool name that you want to modify. You can use
CPYTAA2 either directly or as an option from the WRKTAA subfile
display.

For example, to extract the source for the CPYSRCTYP tool, specify:

        CPYTAA2 TAAARCMBR(CPYSRCTYP) TOLIB(xxxx) REPLACE(*YES)

No command is provided to change the source members within the TAA
Archive. The source should remain as shipped with the TAA Productivity
Tools. This allows you to re-create a tool as it was originally
shipped.

Changing the source in your library after CPYTAA2

You can use RDi, WRKMBRPDM, SEU, or any technique to change the source
to meet your requirements.

Using CRTTAATOOL

If you have changed the source and are testing a change, you may use
create commands such as CRTCLPGM or CRTCMD directly against your
source. This can be effective in most testing situations.

Once you have your changes fully tested, you should use the CRTTAATOOL
command to create a production version for the reasons described
earlier.

A typical command would be:

        CRTTAATOOL TOOL(CPYSRCTYP) SRCLIB(xxx)

Note that you must specify a source library for the SRCLIB parameter.

The object code is always created in the TAATOOL library. This
includes a version of any command definitions objects. Some security
sensitive tools will place certain objects in the TAASECURE library.

If you have a command library that is other than TAATOOL, a second
version of the command definition objects will exist in your command
library. A command library may be specified at time of install or with
the DUPTAACMD command. See the discussion of the 'Library List
Requirements' on the HELPTAA menu.

A second version of *MENU objects and certain physical files used for
data structure definitions will also exist in your command library if
it is not TAATOOL.

Providing command help text

The help text for the TAA Tool commands is only provided in object
form (no source is provided). If you do not change the command
definition source for a tool, the CRTTAATOOL command will re-create
the command with the proper help text reference.

To avoid a single massive Help Panel Group object, several different
Help Panel Groups are used that have a naming convention of TAAUIMnnn.
The processing function of CRTTAATOOL specifies the specific Help
Panel Group when a command object is created. This can be displayed by
DSPCMD, but is not described in the Command source and is not
documented externally.

If you change the command definition source and want to provide your
own version of the help text, you must modify the command with CHGCMD
after using CRTTAATOOL.

To create your own help text, you should consider the use of the
CRTCMDHLP TAA Tool.

If you have changed the command definition source (or want to change
it), but still want to use the existing TAA command Help, do the
following:

-   If you have replaced the command object with your own version,
    re-create the tool using the CRTTAATOOL command and name your
    source library (SRCLIB parameter).

-   Use DSPCMD to display the command.

-   Look for the 'Help panel group' value. It should be a value such
    as TAAUIMnnn in TAATOOL.

-   Replace the command object version with your version.

-   Specify CHGCMD HLPPNLGRP(TAATOOL/TAAUIMnnn) HLPID(xxxx) where xxxx
    is the name of the command.

Impact of a New Release or Update Media

When a new release or update media is provided for the TAA
Productivity Tools, it will clear all the objects in the TAATOOL
library. The new versions are then restored. Therefore, you will need
to make your changes again.

To determine if any of the source code for the tool has changed on the
new release, you can use the CMPSRC TAA Tool. CMPSRC cannot be used
directly against the TAA Archive members. You must copy out the new
version of the source before you can compare against your modified
source.

The simplest solution is to use the CRTTAASRCF command to create the
standard QATTxxx source files in a named library. Then copy the new
version of the source to the library containing the source files with
the CPYTAA2 command. Then use CMPSRC to compare against your modified
source.

If you make a significant number of changes to the TAA Tools, you
should consider the use of the PKGSRC TAA Tool to assist in making
changes.

Recovery to the original TAA Archive version

If you decide that you want to return to the object form of a tool
that matches the source in the TAA Archive, use the default on
CRTTAATOOL for SRCLIB which is *TAAARC. For example, to re-create the
CPYSRCTYP tool, you would specify:

        CRTTAATOOL TOOL(CPYSRCTYP)

Note that you do not specify the SRCLIB parameter, but use the default
of *TAAARC.

Determining if a tool was re-created

You can check how a tool was created by using the CHKTAATOOL command
such as:

        CHKTAATOOL TOOL(xxxx)

This will produce output that describes the objects that make up the
tool and where they were created. The output describes:

-   The date the TAA Productivity Tool tools were created at TAA
    Tools, Inc.

-   The create date, system, and create user of the objects that make
    up the tool.

Determining the status of the TAA Productivity Tool Libraries

The CHKTAALIB command may be used to determine the status of the
TAATOOL and TAASECURE libraries. The tool will ensure that the correct
objects exist and no foreign objects exist. The tool will also
describe those objects that have been re-created since the product was
installed.

Copyright TAA Tools, Inc. 1995, 2021

Added to TAA Productivity tools April 1, 1995

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