ASNA Mobile RPG® Reference Manual

Exporting Display Files Process

The Export Display File process converts Mobile Display Files into Traditional Display Files on the IBM i server. This process has two modes of operation: single file and multiple files. Use the first when you need to convert a single Mobile Display File and use the second to convert all Mobile Display Files in the website into Traditional Display Files.

Single File Process

The single ASNA Mobile RPG Display File Export process involves the following sequence of steps.

  1. The export checks whether the DDS source file exists. If it does NOT, the export process will continue with step 4 using the SrcDdsCcsid from the ASPX file as the CCSID.
  2. If the DDS source file exists and it has the same CCSID number, the process will continue at step 4.
  3. If the file exists but the CCSID numbers do NOT match, then processing will continue with step 4 but note that in 4.d the process will terminate with a warning.
  4. The source file is created.
    1. In this step the ASPX file is analyzed to extract the record formats, the fields in the records, data types and sizes, positional information, interrelation among the records, like overlays, and any other information required to create a Display File with enough information for the RPG program to run correctly. With this information a DDS source file is created.
    2. In addition, the LastWrite tag in each corresponding aspx.wrf (Wings Record Format) is updated to reflect the current date. Refer to Wings Record Format and The Runtime Lifecycle, LevelCheck and LwtCheck for more information.
    3. By default, the DDS source is created in QTEMP.
    4. If the CCSID numbers did NOT match in step 3, issue a warning and terminate the process. Otherwise continue with step 5 and step 6.
  5. The DDS source is copied to the IBM i server as a member of a DDS source file.
  6. The DDS source is compiled to create the Display File.

Multiple File Process

  1. The multi-file export process starts by internally creating a list of all the ASPX files in the Website directory. The process then tests each one of the files to determine if it is an ASNA Mobile Display File and invokes the Single File Process for each one.

The Visual Studio Output Window shows the operation of the export process as it proceeds and if any of the steps result in an error it will be shown there. Otherwise, the Output Window will show a message indicating a successful conversion.