November 6, 2019
November 6, 2019 | Volume 16 Issue 40
- LEAD ARTICLE: Practical RPG: Putting Help in Context
- FEATURED ARTICLE: RPG Academy: Database Modernization—Methodology, Part 2
- FEATURED WEBINAR: Node.js on IBM i Webinar Series Pt. 2: Setting Up Your Development Tools
- NEWS HIGHLIGHT: SDC 19: Samsung and IBM Bring 5G and AI-Powered Mobile Solutions on IBM Cloud for Enterprises
- WEBCAST: Has My IBM i Been Breached?
- FEATURED VIDEO: Design an Invoice in 10 Minutes
- EVENT: MAGiC Annual Conference November 11-13, 2019

Practical RPG: Putting Help in Context
Display file DDS supports powerful ways to provide contextual help text to your users…but with limitations. Learn how to get around those limitations.
By Joe Pluta
IBM supports a wide range of help-related keywords in DDS source—too many for me to cover here. If you have a free weekend (or three), you can browse through the latest Programming DDS for Display Files manual starting around page 123. Yes, I know the world is changing and in two (or five or ten) years, there will be no more display files. But then again, I've heard that since the mid-’90s, so forgive me if I'm not quite ready to roll up the 5250 just yet. And as long as we have green-screens, we should have good help text for them.

RPG Academy: Database Modernization—Methodology, Part 2
Older IBM i databases are, typically, databases only in name: They lack the relationships between tables, have duplicate information, and so on. Let’s start the cleanup process.
By Rafael Victória-Pereira
Modernizing the database is, most times, a tortuous and somewhat difficult process. It’s difficult to organize (there are too many variables to take into account—existing programs, external data accesses, queries, and so on), it’s difficult to justify to upper management (as this necessary process is not seen as an efficiency or profit-increasing process, sometimes it’s not easy to get the green light from the higher-ups) and finally, it’s also not easy to implement (there’s always the risk, albeit marginal if things are done correctly, of data loss or corruption). I don’t mean to discourage you, quite the contrary! However, this requires preparation, careful planning and, naturally, common sense. So let’s begin with a few important preparation steps.
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
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- Custom retention capabilities
- Seamless product integration
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Node.js on IBM i Webinar Series Pt. 2: Setting Up Your Development Tools
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.
In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control.
By Profound Logic, Inc.
Editor's note: This article introduces the October 2019 Webinar: Node.js on IBM i Webinar Series Pt. 2: Setting Up Your Development Tools, which is On-Demand and available to download and view from the MC Webcast Center.