IBM i Fundamentals

An ordered path through the foundational IBM i concepts every beginner and working developer benefits from knowing.

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Showing 16 of 288 lessons

129What is a Printer File in IBM i?Log in to accessWhat a printer file is, how it fits alongside physical, logical, and display files, and what its output becomes.
130Printer File DDS BasicsLog in to accessHow a printer file DDS describes printed report lines, and how this compares to DDS used for physical and display files.
131Report Record FormatsLog in to accessWhy a printer file DDS commonly defines several record formats: heading, detail, and total lines.
132RPGLE Program Writing to a Printer FileLog in to accessDeclaring a printer file with dcl-f, and using WRITE to print a specific record format.
133Report Headings and Detail LinesLog in to accessWriting a complete report loop that prints a heading once and a detail line for every row of underlying data.
134Page Overflow BasicsLog in to accessWhat page overflow is, and how an RPGLE program uses an overflow indicator to reprint a heading on each new page.
135Spool Files and Output QueuesLog in to accessWhat happens to a printer file's output after it is written, and how a spool file relates to an output queue.
136Common Printer File Mistakes and Best PracticesLog in to accessThe most common beginner mistakes across printer files and basic report programs, and a simple set of best practices to avoid them.
137Report Totals and Summary LinesLog in to accessAccumulating a running total across a report's detail lines and printing it once as a summary line at the end.
138Multi-Record Format ReportsLog in to accessDistinguishing a report-level heading, printed once, from a page-level heading, printed again on every page.
139Controlling Page BreaksLog in to accessThe difference between automatic page overflow and a deliberate page break triggered by a control break in the data.
140Working with Spool Files using WRKSPLFLog in to accessWhat WRKSPLF shows, and how to use it to find, view, and manage spool files created by jobs you have run.
141Working with Output Queues using WRKOUTQLog in to accessWhat WRKOUTQ shows, and how its scope, one specific output queue across users, differs from WRKSPLF.
142Printer File Overrides BasicsLog in to accessWhat a printer file override does at a basic level, using a simple OVRPRTF example changing output queue and hold status.
143Debugging Report Output ProblemsLog in to accessA practical checklist for common report problems: missing spool file, wrong output queue, report not printing, blank report, wrong page breaks.
144Printer File vs Display File vs Database FileLog in to accessComparing printer files, display files, and database files: what each is for, and which RPGLE operations pair with each.