This chapter contains the topic:
You can set up World Writer to write to a physical file rather than a spool file. You can use the newly created physical file in any way that a file on the iSeries can be used:
Downloaded as an ASCII file to a PC application, such as Excel. You need access to a data transfer utility, such as Client Access or ftp.
In another World Writer version or in IBM Query
In a program
This feature is also useful to create a subset of a large file to improve the processing time of subsequent reports.
On Additional Parameters
Change the Output Media field to F for file output.
Specify the name of the file in the Output File field. You do not need to create the file first.
Specify the library where the file will reside. The library needs to exist on the iSeries.
Enter a 1 in the Packed to Zoned field to convert all packed fields to zoned decimal.
The Packed to Zoned field is used with creating files. This flag may be needed in preparing files that contain numeric data and are intended for transfer to a non-iSeries system. The default value is blank which indicates that packed fields will output as packed.
For first-time version runs, World Writer compiles the physical file and then loads data into the file.
For subsequent runs of the version or if the file already exists, World Writer deletes and recompiles the file. Then the data is added into the file.
World Writer cannot append records to an existing file.
When the file is created, the CRTPF command is used.
World Writer will not create a file with more records than indicated in the Member Size (SIZE) fields.
Access to the file is determined by the Authority (AUT) field.
The file does not have imbedded delimiters when downloaded as an ASCII file.
The dates are formatted according to the edit code and the length of the field. See Appendix 5, "Using Output Field Specifications" About Date Fields stored in the Julian format: CYYDDD.
You cannot output column headings, total line text, or summary functions to the file. World Writer will output only detail records to a file.
Presumptive Fields and Calculated field can be output to a file.
You cannot have duplicate field names listed in Output Field Specifications. If the same field name is needed, create a calculated field for one of the fields so that it has a unique name.
On Output Field Specifications, the first character of any field name must be A through Z, #, @, or $. The characters after the first character of any field name must be A through Z, 0 through 9, #, @, $, or _ (underscore).
World Writer checks the Software Versions Repository to prevent you from inadvertently overwriting an existing JD Edwards World production file.
Avoid changing the size of fields to be smaller than how they are defined in Data Dictionary. This will cause data to be truncated and in some cases will result in the version ending abnormally with a "Receiver Value too small to hold result" error.