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Is it better to have different display files for each category of an application being developed on AS400 or will creating different record formats (or RECORD format type for multiple files within same DSPF) be suitable.

I have 4 screens to be displayed.Should i create 4 different DSPF files or 4 different format types within 1 DSPF,please guide.

techie
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    How will you package the program logic? One monolithic program, several programs, many small functions? Generally, I'd match the I/O packaging to the logic packaging rather than the other way round. – Buck Calabro Jul 30 '12 at 19:22
  • What exactly i wanna achieve is that i have displays for login,menu and option selections of the menu open up other displays.What would you suggest in such scenarios. – techie Jul 30 '12 at 19:27
  • Will all of these functions be implemented in a single program? How will you divide up the functionality? – Buck Calabro Jul 30 '12 at 19:35
  • I have separate RPGs for each of the display like menu etc.Though i would be having a program that checks for valid ID and if it exists it opens another screen.In this case can i use same file having different record formats. – techie Jul 30 '12 at 19:47
  • When is it ideal to have different formats of RECORD type in one same display file and when to separate into different DSPFs? – techie Jul 30 '12 at 19:50
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    There is no simple rule that is 100% best for all circumstances. I would advise that the displays be divided up to follow the logic. I have many applications where a single program has 10 or more record formats in a single display file and very few that have only one record format in a display file. Put several record formats together in one file in the same way you put several subroutines together into one program. Match the display needs to the program needs. – Buck Calabro Jul 30 '12 at 20:03
  • Being a newbie on this platform,I continue to be unsure though as to when can i have many record formats in one display file. – techie Jul 30 '12 at 20:07

1 Answers1

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There is no all-encompassing rule.

Let's say you have a menu that calls a customer inquiry program. The customer inquiry in turn calls a program that verifies the user so she can see confidential customer information that low level users are not allowed to see. The menu would be one program, one display file, one record format. The customer inquiry would be one program, one display file and several record formats: one to search by name, one to search by ID number, one to search by phone number, one to display the results. The ID verification program would be one program, one display file and one record format (which could even be a window).

You put record formats together which make sense together. You wouldn't put the accounts payable record formats in the customer inquiry display file because they don't make sense together.

The operating system doesn't particularly care how many record formats are in a display file. It's all about how you want to organise your work.

Buck Calabro
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