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User Guide

Frequently Asked Questions
  2. System value QCCSID 65535 inhibits automatic character conversion from a CCSID to another CCSID.
    That is general a big problem with CGI programs. For instance, the external HTML of a CGI program is not translated to the CCSID of the CGI job when loaded in memory from it. If this HTML contains special characters, these characters are pratically corrupted and when outputted to the browser they may cause problems. For instance some piece of Javascript code no longer runs.
    Fortunately, WRKDBF cares for this problem. WRKDBF checks the job CCSID and, if it is found to be 65535, it is changed to the appropriate value according to system value QLANGID.
    However, this may be not enough. The HTTP server assumes that the CGI is running with the CCSID of system value QCCSID, and this can also cause problems in character conversion. In order to have your HTTP instance jobs running with a CCSID other than the one specified in system value QCCSID, you have to (re)start your HTTP instance by specifying the desired CCSID value through the "Instance startup value" fsccsid. Example:
    STRTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(instance_name '-fsccsid nnn')
    where nnn is the desired CCSID value.

  3. What are AD-HOC programs?
  4. In order to be able to access any iSeries database file, program WRKDBF generates a so called "AD-HOC" program every time it is asked to access a new database file.
    An AD-HOC program is a simple ILE-RPG program just performing single I/O operations on a database file, depending on the order received from program WRKDBF.
    • On READ operations, it returns a buffer containing the record just read.
    • On ADD or UPDATE operations, it receives in an input buffer the image of the record to be added or updated.
    The AD-HOC programs are created in library CGIWRKDBFD, and are given names like Pnnn (nnn being an integer number).
    While a single AD-HOC program is generated for a given keyed database file, two AD-HOC programs (Pnnn and PnnnW) are generated for arrival database files.
    Each AD-HOC program is compiled from a source member generated in source file CGIWRKDBFD/QRPGLESRC from program WRKDBF.
    Once an AD-HOC program has been created, its name is associated with the file name in a WRKDBF control record, so that the next time the same file is asked to be accessed no program generation takes place.

  5. What should I do if an AD-HOC program fails to be created?
  6. Check out this page.

  7. How can I enable uppercase/lowercase input when entering data for a new record or when updating a record?
  8. At the top of the page you will find a check box named Uppercase.
    • Check that box to force uppercase input
    • Uncheck that box to enable lowercase input
    Input characters are converted to uppercase on exiting from a field, if the Uppercase box is checked.
    Note that the Uppercase/Lowercase option is retained at database file level.

  9. What URL can I use to directly browse a given database file without going through the WRKDBF initial page?
    • Use the following URL:
    • or the following one:
    • file_name  is the name of the database file you want to browse;
    • library_name  is the library name of this database file;
    • member_name  is the name of the file member you want to work with.
      If the database file contains just one member, or if you want to browse the first member, the member_name input variable can be omitted.

  10. When I return to the CGI_WRKDBF initial page, the input fields are not reset. Why?
  11. The tool retains the last information entered in the initial page (file name, library name, member name and records per page). This is saved at user_name level. It allows the user to remember what was the last file the user_name has worked with.

  12. Where are the CGI_WRKDBF HTTP instance directives located?
  13. Please checkout the IFS stream file /cgiwrkdbf/conf/httpd.conf .

  14. Is there any plan to add the "undelete records" feature?
  15. I read that the only way to detect the deleted records is to save the object and to look for them in the save file.
    Unluckily I was not able to find any documentation about the save file formats. They are not documented in the IBM Infocenter and there is no IBM redbook about this matter.
    I will provide this feature the day I happen to stump into such documentation.