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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories IFS (Integrated File System) and Servers
Created by Guest
Created on Dec 13, 2016

RELATED IDEAS

IFS streamfiles need additional OIR-like attributes

IFS streamfiles have a number of attributes, many seem IBM i (OS/400) specific, visible via WRKLNK option 8=Display attributes, and can be specified or changed via the CHGATR command ATR parameter, such as: *CCSID, *ALWCKPWRT, *USECOUNT, *DISKSTGOPT, *MAINSTGOPT, *CRTOBJSCAN, *SCAN, *ALWSAV, *RSTDRNMUNL, *CRTOBJAUD, etc.

In the QSYS.LIB file system, library resident objects have additional properties or attributes maintained in the *OIR space of the containing library, visible with DSPOBJD ... DETAIL(*SERVICE) such as:

Object control level,
Licensed program product
PTF number,
APAR ID
Text descr,iption

that are not available with IFS streamfiles.

It would also be useful to have a new "*SRCSTMF" attribute to store the "source" IFS path for any IFS streamfile created (compiled) from another source stream file, e.g. using the IBM XL/C compiler, or GCC, etc..

IBM now distributes thousands of streamfiles as part of various LPPs, e.g. 5770-DG1, and 5733-OPS/, How can customers identify and keep track of which *STMFs have been altered or replaced by what PTFs or APARs? (And how can the IBM PTF install process keep proper track of this?)


Use Case:

In 5733-OPS, when installing PTFs, apparently a "manifest" file is created and used by the PTF install (exit) program(s) to manage what needs to be done. But if the manifest file is damaged or deleted, this causes all sorts of problems that prevent PTFs from installing properly. And the customer must then delete the entire 5733-OPS LPP (or at least one or more of its optional parts) and then re-install them again to fix this.

As more parts of the OS depend on components (stream files) in IFS directories,,a more robust mechanism is needed to make PTFs of IFS *STMFs more reliable, and comparable to handling of objects in the QSYS.LIB file system.

Also, as IBM promotes the use of GCC and git etc. to compile open source code to run in PASE, the "Object Control Level" would be very useful to identify the "version tag" from git or any other Source Control tool.


Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Nov 11, 2021

    Thank you for taking the time to submit your request. After careful consideration, we know that we cannot deliver your requested enhancement soon, so it is being declined. However, we believe it may have future value, so we will add it to an internal list for us to keep in mind for the future.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     May 5, 2020

    We continue to assess this request and consider how to provide this support.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 13, 2017

    This request includes several items. Many of them impact other areas and will require time to investigate.

    One of the requested attributes, text attribute, is available in 7.3. The development team will investigate the other requested attributes (Object control level, Licensed program product, PTF number, APAR ID)

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