July 11, 2018
July 11, 2018 | Volume 16 Issue 24
- LEAD ARTICLE: Practical RDi: Manipulating Timestamps
- FEATURED ARTICLE: RPG Academy: Debug Done Right – Debugging Batch Jobs
- FEATURED ARTICLE: Using Keys and Output Opcodes in /Free ILE RPG
- NEWS HIGHLIGHT: IBM and Banca Carige, Launch Dock: $500M Agreement Helping Drive Digital Transformation with Artificial Intelligence
- TRIAL SOFTWARE: TRY the Package That Solves Document Design & Printing Challenges on All Platforms
- FEATURED VIDEO: Design an Invoice in 10 Minutes
- EVENT: OCEAN TechCon18 - Modernize & Revitalize All Aspects of IT!

Practical RPG: Manipulating Timestamps
Timestamps support flexible date arithmetic, which you can see in this practical example of a task scheduler.
By Joe Pluta
Today's article is going to be very practical indeed! We're going to use timestamps to perform some common business functions and, in so doing, learn a number of simple but effective techniques for working with these versatile variables. This is a real-world example; I am currently running a scheduler using exactly this design.
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RPG Academy: Debug Done Right – Debugging Batch Jobs
You may say I left the best for last. Here’s how to do something impossible for the “old” ISDB: debug batch jobs!
By Rafael Victória-Pereira
One of the main advantages of the ILE debugger over its older brother, the ISDB, is the ability to debug batch jobs. Over the last TechTips, I’ve shown a few other functionalities that are way better than what the ISDB has to offer, and most of them are easy to use. Unfortunately, debugging a batch job is not as simple as debugging an interactive job; you need to take some additional steps to “catch” the batch-running program in the right moment. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
What to Do When Your AS/400 Talent Retires
IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small.
This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business?
This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn:
- Why IBM i skills depletion is a top concern
- How leading organizations are coping
- Where automation will make the biggest impact
Enjoy!
Download your copy today!
2019 State of IBM i Modernization
The annual Profound Logic ‘State of IBM i Modernization Survey” takes a look at the trends and attitudes that shape the IBM i modernization market. We reached out to the IBM i community, and the response was outstanding: close to 800 people, nearly 300 more than last year, took the survey. This enthusiasm resulted in very interesting findings for how businesses plan to use and modernize the platform in the coming year.
As you read through each section of the survey, you will see our summary of the results and suggestions for the future. We hope the survey will help your business better understand what is possible for your IBM i platform in the coming year.
Node Webinar Series Pt. 1: The World of Node.js on IBM i
Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.
Part 1 will teach you what Node.js is, why it's a great option for IBM i shops, and how to take advantage of the ecosystem surrounding Node.
In addition to background information, our Director of Product Development Scott Klement will demonstrate applications that take advantage of the Node Package Manager (npm).
watch now!
What Most IBM i Shops Get Wrong About the IFS
Can you trust all of your users all of the time?
A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six month later.
A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:
- How phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated
- Three little-known ways malicious programs can reach your IFS
- Why the IFS is IBM i’s “Typhoid Mary”
You’ll also learn why some of the most common malware solutions still leave IBM i systems vulnerable—and what you can do to protect your organization.
Easiest Way to Save Money? Stop Printing IBM i Reports
The thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing.
Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:
- Automated report distribution
- View online without delay
- Browser interface to make notes
- Custom retention capabilities
- Seamless product integration
Rerun another report? Never again. Try the Robot Report Management Solution FREE for 30 days.
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Using Keys and Output Opcodes in /Free ILE RPG
Learn to work with keys and output opcodes, two important options for handling files in your /Free ILE RPG programs
by David Shirey
Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from chapter 6 of 21st Century RPG: /Free, ILE, and MVC, by David Shirey.
Some things in /Free have not changed from fixed format, like the opcode names for the database I/O: READ, READE, READP, READPE, CHAIN, SETLL, SETGT, UPDATE, WRITE, and DELETE.