VALDBF -- Validate Data Base File

VALDBF VALIDATE DATA BASE FILE TAADBFJ
The VALDBF command validates an externally described data base file for the following: Valid numeric data exists in numeric fields DDS validity checking specifications (e.g. RANGE, VALUES) are met The command is designed to operate in batch. It extracts the field level information of the named file by using DSPFFD and then uses the information to validate the file. See the FIXDECERR command which will correct any decimal data errors. See the CHKDBFDAT command to check dates in a data base such as ensuring all dates are in valid MMDDYY format. A typical use of the command is: VALDBF FILE(FILEX) A second command (VALMNYDBF) is available for validating all physical file members in a file or a library. It would typically be entered as: VALMNYDBF FILE(xxxx/ALL) A spooled file is created with the same name as the file being validated. If errors are found, the relative record number, the field name and the value of the field are printed. When VALMNYDBF is used, a spooled file is only created for those members where errors are found. Restrictions ------------ * An externally described file must be specified. VALDBF will only process a single member per command. VALMNYDBF can process a multi-member file. Multi-format logical files cannot be used, but a single format/single member logical file can be validated. Floating point fields are bypassed. Character or numeric fields greater than 15 in length that have validity specifications are bypassed. If a file contains more than 250 fields, the excess are not validated. If a file's total (maximum) record length exceeds 4000 it is bypassed and not validated. A message will be issued indicating the file could not be validated. If a file contains null capable fields, it is bypassed and not validated. A message will be issued indicating the file could not be validated. Because the DSPFFD output is copied with CPYSPLF, the VALDBF function is release dependent. Only the lower and upper case English language versions are supported. If the format of the DSPFFD output is changed on a subsequent release, the program may need to be modified. VALMNYDBF will bypass any logical files, any physical files with no members or any physical members with no data. Because VALMNYDBF uses only physical files, any logical file validation criteria is not checked. Technique --------- The validation data is not all provided in the DSPFFD outfile function. Therefore, the DSPFFD output to PRINT occurs and the spool file is copied to a data base file and then read. If your physical file does not contain the proper validation criteria (e.g. VALUES test), you can: * Modify the physical ** Create a logical file over the physical and specify the validation criteria in the logical. You would then specify the logical as the input file for VALDBF. This technique will also allow you to specify a more restrictive test just to check your data. For example, you might want to ensure that no salary amount exceeded $10,000 a week. This technique cannot be used with VALMNYDBF because it processes only physical files. The normal use of the command is to build a file in QTEMP which contains the output of DSPFFD including the validation data. This file is used to validate the named data base file. The command supports an option to allow the file of fields and validation data to be built only. This does not perform the execution step. For some applications it may be desirable to have the validation data and the DSPFFD output in a file. VALDBF command parameters CMD ------------------------- FILE The qualified file name to be validated. The library name defaults to LIBL. MBR The member name to be validated. The default is FIRST. PROCESS Whether to execute or just build the output file. The default is EXEC to execute the validation step. BUILD may be specified to just build the output file which contains the validation data. VALFILE The validation file that is built as the first step of the command processing function, The default is VALF in QTEMP. If you are not interested in retaining the output file, take the default. You may name a different file regardless of the PROCESS parameter value. DLTSPLF A YES/NO value to control whether the spooled output should be retained if the file is successfully validated. The file is always produced and will not be deleted if errors occur. The default is NO meaning the spooled file will be left in the output queue. SAMEFILE A YES/NO value used in conjunction with VALMNYDBF. NO is the default. YES should be specified when you are processing the 2nd thru Nth member of a file. YES provides better performance by using the information from the format of the first member. VALMNYDBF command parameters CMD ---------------------------- FILE The qualified file name to be validated. ALL may be specified for the file name in which case all physical members in the library will be checked. This is a slow running function and should be submitted to batch. If ALL is specified for the file, a library must be named. If a specific file is named, LIBL may be used for the library name. The purpose of this command would be to validate a multi-member file instead of using VALDBF. ALLUSR may be specified for the library name in which case all user libraries on the system will be validated. This is a very long running function. Prerequisites ------------- The following TAA Tools must be on your system: EDTVAR Edit variable HLRMVMSG HLL Remove message RTVSYSVAL3 Retrieve system value 3 SNDCOMPMSG Send completion message SNDESCMSG Send escape message SNDSTSMSG Send status message Implementation -------------- None, the tool is ready to use. Objects used by the tool ------------------------ Object Type Attribute Src member Src file ------ ----- --------- ---------- ----------- VALDBF CMD TAADBFJ QATTCMD VALMNYDBF CMD TAADBFJ2 QATTCMD VALF FILE PF TAADBFJP QATTDDS TAADBFJC PGM CLP TAADBFJC QATTCL TAADBFJC2 PGM CLP TAADBFJC2 QATTCL TAADBFJR PGM RPG TAADBFJR QATTRPG TAADBFJR2 *PGM RPG TAADBFJR2 QATTRPG Structure --------- VALDBF Cmd TAADBFJC CL TAADBFJR RPG TAADBFJP PF TAADBFJR2 RPG TAADBFJP PF VALMNYDBF Cmd TAADBFJC2 CL

VALDBF       VALIDATE DATA BASE FILE           TAADBFJ


The VALDBF  command validates  an externally  described data base  file
for the following:

  **   Valid numeric data exists in numeric fields

  **   DDS validity  checking specifications (e.g.   RANGE, VALUES) are
       met

The  command is designed  to operate in  batch.  It  extracts the field
level information of the named  file by using DSPFFD and then  uses the
information to validate the file.

See the FIXDECERR  command which will correct any  decimal data errors.

See  the  CHKDBFDAT command  to  check dates  in  a data  base  such as
ensuring all dates are in valid MMDDYY format.

A typical use of the command is:

      VALDBF    FILE(FILEX)

A second command (VALMNYDBF) is  available for validating all  physical
file members  in a file  or a library.   It would typically  be entered
as:

      VALMNYDBF   FILE(xxxx/*ALL)

A  spooled  file  is created  with  the  same name  as  the  file being
validated.   If  errors are  found,  the relative  record  number,  the
field name and the value of the field are printed.

When  VALMNYDBF is  used, a  spooled  file is  only  created for  those
members where errors are found.

Restrictions
------------

  **   An externally described file must be specified.

  **   VALDBF   will  only  process   a  single  member   per  command.
       VALMNYDBF   can  process  a  multi-member  file.    Multi-format
       logical  files  cannot  be  used,  but  a  single  format/single
       member logical file can be validated.

  **   Floating point fields are bypassed.

  **   Character  or numeric  fields  greater than  15  in length  that
       have validity specifications are bypassed.

  **   If  a file  contains more  than 250 fields,  the excess  are not
       validated.

  **   If a file's  total (maximum)  record length exceeds  4000 it  is
       bypassed  and  not   validated.    A  message   will  be  issued
       indicating the file could not be validated.

  **   If a  file contains null capable fields,  it is bypassed and not
       validated.  A message will  be issued indicating the file  could
       not be validated.

  **   Because the  DSPFFD output  is copied  with CPYSPLF, the  VALDBF
       function is  release dependent.   Only the lower  and upper case
       English  language versions are supported.   If the format of the
       DSPFFD output is  changed on a  subsequent release, the  program
       may need to be modified.

  **   VALMNYDBF  will bypass  any  logical files,  any physical  files
       with  no members or any physical members  with no data.  Because
       VALMNYDBF  uses   only   physical  files,   any   logical   file
       validation criteria is not checked.

Technique
---------

The  validation  data  is  not  all  provided  in  the  DSPFFD  outfile
function.    Therefore, the  DSPFFD  output to  *PRINT  occurs  and the
spool file is copied to a data base file and then read.

If your physical file does  not contain the proper validation  criteria
(e.g.  VALUES test), you can:

  **   Modify the physical

  **   Create  a  logical  file  over  the  physical  and  specify  the
       validation  criteria in  the logical.    You would  then specify
       the  logical as the input file  for VALDBF.  This technique will
       also allow  you  to  specify a  more  restrictive test  just  to
       check your  data.   For example, you  might want to  ensure that
       no  salary  amount  exceeded $10,000  a  week.    This technique
       cannot  be  used  with  VALMNYDBF  because  it   processes  only
       physical files.

The  normal use  of the  command  is to  build  a file  in QTEMP  which
contains  the output  of DSPFFD  including the  validation data.   This
file is used to validate the named data base file.

The command  supports  an  option  to allow  the  file  of  fields  and
validation  data  to  be  built  only.    This  does  not  perform  the
execution  step.   For some applications  it may  be desirable  to have
the validation data and the DSPFFD output in a file.

VALDBF command parameters                             *CMD
-------------------------

   FILE          The   qualified  file  name  to  be  validated.    The
                 library name defaults to *LIBL.

   MBR           The member  name  to be  validated.   The  default  is
                 *FIRST.

   PROCESS       Whether  to execute  or  just build  the output  file.
                 The  default is *EXEC to  execute the validation step.
                 *BUILD may  be  specified  to just  build  the  output
                 file which contains the validation data.

   VALFILE       The validation  file that is  built as the  first step
                 of  the command  processing  function, The  default is
                 VALF  in  QTEMP.    If  you  are  not  interested   in
                 retaining  the output  file, take  the  default.   You
                 may  name a different  file regardless of  the PROCESS
                 parameter value.

   DLTSPLF       A  *YES/*NO  value  to  control  whether  the  spooled
                 output   should   be   retained   if   the   file   is
                 successfully validated.   The file  is always produced
                 and  will  not  be  deleted  if  errors  occur.    The
                 default is *NO meaning the  spooled file will be  left
                 in the output queue.

   SAMEFILE      A *YES/*NO  value used in conjunction  with VALMNYDBF.
                 *NO  is the  default.  *YES  should be  specified when
                 you are  processing  the  2nd thru  Nth  member  of  a
                 file.  *YES  provides better performance by  using the
                 information from the format of the first member.

VALMNYDBF command parameters                          *CMD
----------------------------

   FILE          The qualified file name to be validated.

                 *ALL  may  be specified  for  the file  name  in which
                 case  all  physical  members in  the  library  will be
                 checked.  This is  a slow running function and  should
                 be submitted to  batch.  If *ALL is  specified for the
                 file, a library must be named.

                 If  a specific  file is named,  *LIBL may  be used for
                 the library name.  The  purpose of this command  would
                 be to  validate a  multi-member file instead  of using
                 VALDBF.

                 *ALLUSR  may  be  specified for  the  library  name in
                 which case all  user libraries on  the system will  be
                 validated.  This is a very long running function.

Prerequisites
-------------

The following TAA Tools must be on your system:

          EDTVAR        Edit variable
          HLRMVMSG      HLL Remove message
          RTVSYSVAL3    Retrieve system value 3
          SNDCOMPMSG    Send completion message
          SNDESCMSG     Send escape message
          SNDSTSMSG     Send status message

Implementation
--------------

None, the tool is ready to use.

Objects used by the tool
------------------------

   Object        Type       Attribute      Src member     Src file
   ------        -----      ---------      ----------     -----------

   VALDBF        *CMD                      TAADBFJ        QATTCMD
   VALMNYDBF     *CMD                      TAADBFJ2       QATTCMD
   VALF          *FILE         PF          TAADBFJP       QATTDDS
   TAADBFJC      *PGM          CLP         TAADBFJC       QATTCL
   TAADBFJC2     *PGM          CLP         TAADBFJC2      QATTCL
   TAADBFJR      *PGM          RPG         TAADBFJR       QATTRPG
   TAADBFJR2     *PGM          RPG         TAADBFJR2      QATTRPG

Structure
---------

VALDBF     Cmd
  TAADBFJC   CL
    TAADBFJR   RPG
      TAADBFJP    PF
    TAADBFJR2  RPG
      TAADBFJP    PF

VALMNYDBF   Cmd
  TAADBFJC2   CL

Added to TAA Productivity tools April 1, 1995

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