AS400 Tutorials

AS400 Programming Development Manager Menu

Let’s first take a look at Work With Libraries function of PDM. At a basic level this option allows you to reivew and change libraries on your system, sort of like the Work With Libraries (WRKLIB) command but using a little bit better (depending on your preference) interface with some different capabilities.

 

PDM Work With Libraries

By taking option 12 for work with from the Work With Libraries screen takes you into the second PDM option we will cover which is Work With Objects. Once again in work with objects you have all the familiar options to change, copy, delete, rename objects and so on. So similiar options is a recurring theme throughout the utility.

PDM Work With Objects

A nice feature built right into the PDM tool in the work objects screen is the ability to Position to a file name or object type which comes in really handy when you have to wade through libraries with hundreds and even thousands of objects. I am really only touching the surface of what can be done with the PDM utility.

Like the name implies it really is a tool to make programmers jobs easier.

PDM User Defined Options

For instance Programming Development Manager comes with the ability to create user definable options. These options are essentially shortcut keys you enter on the option line to perform some sort of action. Many of the more popular commands are pre-programmed options for you, for example Work With Spool Files (command WRKSPLF) is setup as option SP. So if you simply enter SP on the option line it calls up your spooled files.

The option WA calls the Work With Active Jobs (WRKACTJOB) command. Another handy option that has been pre-configured is the Call command which has been defined as option C. In this instance the option for Call is setup to pass parameters to the command for you. So if you are working with source members and wanted to call a program you just compiled (or any program for that matter) simply put the cursor in the option field next the source file you compiled, enter ‘C’ in that option field and then press the enter key and that exact program will be called.

I use the C option in PDM quite frequently when compiling and testing out programs that don’t require additional user entered parameters to be passed. Another technique to get around this is to create a small “wrapper” CL or CLLE program to pass the parameters for you.

PDM Work With

You can also setup your own PDM defined options by pressing the F6 key on the Work With User-defined Options screen and following the prompts. Lastly PDM makes working with any kind of source member easy by calling up the Source Entry Utility (also known as SEU) by using option 2.

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