This chapter provides an introduction to the tools that Mainframe Express provides to help you create and maintain application data files on your PC.
The chapter provides information on:
Mainframe Express offers the following tools to help you create, maintain and convert data files:
You can create data files of various types. Then, use the Data File Editor window to create and delete records and to view, edit and print data. Search tools are provided also. For more information, see the chapter Editing Data Files.
You can convert between file organizations and formats. You can convert between EBCDIC and ANSI and, in doing so, convert floating-point formats. You can change the record length. You can restructure data, for example from sequential to indexed organization. For more information, see the chapter Converting Data Files.
You can create and maintain the record layouts that enable you to edit and convert formatted data. You can define one default record layout and one or more conditional record layouts. You can also use record layouts to specify which data items to convert when converting between ANSI and EBCDIC. For more information, see the chapter Using Record Layouts with Data Files.
You can rebuild the index of a corrupt indexed file or rebuild a corrupt catalog. Also, you can validate or reorganize an indexed file. For more information, see the chapter Rebuilding Indexed Files.
Collectively, these tools are referred to as the Data Tools. For an introduction to using the Data Tools, we recommend that you work through the chapter Maintaining and Creating Data Files in your Getting Started.
For detailed instructions on using the Data Tools, see the help provided in the Mainframe Express online help. (Click Help Topics on the Help menu. Then, on the Contents tab, double-click Development Environment, Working with Data Files.)
In Mainframe Express, you can work with two broad categories of data file:
Within both categories, there is a range of file types available. The file types supported by Mainframe Express are described in the chapter Advanced Data Set Information in your IDE Technical Guide.
Note: You cannot use the Data Tools with either data sets of organization GDG, PO and POU or with PDSM files.
Use mainframe-style files whenever you are working on mainframe applications, where the files that the application needs either exist already or will exist on the mainframe.
To use mainframe-style files, work in catalog mode. To work in catalog mode, click DataTools on the Options menu, check Use catalog and click OK.
Use PC-style files whenever an application needs a file or files during development that will not be needed on the mainframe.
To use PC-style files, you should come out of catalog mode. To disable catalog mode, click DataTools on the Options menu, uncheck Use catalog and click OK.
Mainframe Express provides general settings that let you control the way that the Data Tools behave. These settings take effect until the next time you change them. To change or view the settings, click DataTools on the Options menu.
You can:
For information on settings that affect the Data File Editor specifically, see the section Configuring the Data File Editor in the chapter Editing Data Files.
Note: The default character set setting does not affect the IMS Database Editor which always uses EBCDIC.
Using the Codecomp utility, you can create customized mapping tables for EBCDIC/ANSI character set translation. Mainframe Express has built-in support for a number of character sets. For more information, see the Mainframe Express online help. (Click Help Topics on the Help menu. Then, on the Contents tab, double-click Reference, Development Environment, National Language Support, The Codecomp utility.)
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