Programming support

The addition of the integrated file system to the iSeries™ server server in V3R1M0 did not affect existing iSeries server applications. The programming languages, utilities, and system support (such as data description specifications) operate in the same way as they did before the addition of the integrated file system.

To take advantage of the stream files, directories, and other support of the integrated file system, however, you must use a set of application program interfaces (APIs) provided for accessing integrated file system functions.

Additionally, the addition of the integrated file system allows you to copy data between physical database files and stream files. You can perform this copy using CL commands, the data transfer function of iSeries Access Family, or APIs.

• Copy data between stream files and database files
  If you are familiar with operating on database files using record-oriented facilities such as data description specifications (DDS), you may find some fundamental differences in the way you operate on stream files.
• Copy data between stream files and save files
  A save file is used with save and restore commands to retain data that would otherwise be written on tape or diskette.
• Perform operations using APIs
  Many of the application program interfaces (APIs) that perform operations on integrated file system objects are in the form of C language functions.
• Socket support
  If your application is using the "root" (/), QOpenSys, or user-defined file systems, you can take advantage of the integrated file system local socket support. A local socket object (object type *SOCKET) allows two jobs running on the same system to establish a communications connection with each other.
• Naming and international support
  The support for the "root" (/) and QOpenSys file systems ensures that the characters in object names remain constant across encoding schemes used for different national languages and devices.
• Data conversion
  When you access files through the integrated file system, data in the files may or may not be converted, depending on the open mode requested when the file is opened.
• Example: Integrated file system C functions
  This simple C language program illustrates the use of several integrated file system functions.