Valid File Operations

Table 1 shows the valid file operation codes allowed for DISK files processed by keys and Table 2 for DISK files processed by non-keyed methods. The operations shown in these figures are valid for externally described DISK files and program-described DISK files.

Before running your program, you can override a file to another file. In particular, you can override a sequential file in your program to an externally described, keyed file. (The file is processed as a sequential file.) You can also override a keyed file in your program to another keyed file, providing the key fields are compatible. For example, the overriding file must not have a shorter key field than you specified in your program.

Note: When a database record is deleted, the physical record is marked as deleted. Deleted records can occur in a file if the file has been initialized with deleted records using the Initialize Physical File Member (INZPFM) command. Once a record is deleted, it cannot be read. However, you can use the relative record-number to position to the record and then write over its contents.

Table 1. Valid File Operations for Keyed Processing Methods (Random by Key, Sequential by Key, Sequential within Limits)

File-Description Specifications Positions					Calculation Specifications Positions
17	18	20	281	342	26-35
I	P/S			K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
I	P/S	A		K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	WRITE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
I	P/S		L	K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
U	P/S			K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	UPDATE, DELETE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
U	P/S	A		K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	UPDATE, DELETE, WRITE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
U	P/S		L	K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	UPDATE, DELETE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
I	F			K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	READ, READE, READPE, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
I	F	A		K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	WRITE, READ, READPE, READE, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
I	F		L	K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	READ, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
U	F			K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	READ, READE, READPE, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, UPDATE, DELETE, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
U	F	A		K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	WRITE, UPDATE, DELETE, READ, READE, READPE, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
U	F		L	K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	READ, UPDATE, DELETE, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
O	Blank	A		K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	WRITE (add new records to a file), OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
O	Blank			K/A/P/G/ D/T/Z/F	WRITE (initial load of a new file)3, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
Note: 1. An L must be specified in position 28 to specify sequential-within-limits processing by a record-address file for an input or an update file. 2. Externally described files require a K in position 34; program-described files require an A,P,G,D,T,Z, or F in position 34 and an I in position 35. 3. An A in position 20 is not required for the initial loading of records into a new file. If A is specified in position 20, ADD must be specified on the output specifications. The file must have been created with the IBM i CREATE FILE command.

Table 2. Valid File Operations for Non-keyed Processing Methods (Sequential, Random by Relative Record Number, and Consecutive)

File-Description Specifications Positions					Calculation Specifications Positions
17	18	20	34	44-80	26-35
I	P/S		Blank		CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
I	P/S		Blank	RECNO	CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
U	P/S		Blank		UPDATE, DELETE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
U	P/S		Blank	RECNO	UPDATE, DELETE, CLOSE, FEOD, FORCE
I	F		Blank		READ, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
I	F		Blank	RECNO	READ, READP, SETLL, SETGT,
U	F		Blank		READ, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, UPDATE, DELETE, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
U	F		Blank	RECNO	READ, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, UPDATE, DELETE, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
U	F	A	Blank	RECNO	WRITE (overwrite a deleted record), READ, READP, SETLL, SETGT, CHAIN, UPDATE, DELETE, OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
I	R		A/P/G/ D/T/Z/ F/ Blank1		OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
I	R		Blank2		OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
O	Blank	A	Blank	RECNO	WRITE3 (add records to a file), OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
O	Blank		Blank	RECNO	WRITE4 (initial load of a new file), OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
O	Blank		Blank	Blank	WRITE (sequentially load or extend a file), OPEN, CLOSE, FEOD
Note: 1. If position 34 is blank for a record-address-limits file, the format of the keys in the record-address file is the same as the format of the keys in the file being processed. 2. A record-address file containing relative record numbers requires a T in position 35. 3. The RECNO field that contains the relative record number must be set prior to the WRITE operation or if ADD is specified on the output specifications. 4. An A in position 20 is not required for the initial loading of the records into a new file; however, if A is specified in position 20, ADD must be specified on output specifications. The file must have been created with one of the IBM i file creation commands.