Define data structures

When a data structure is defined for use with an API, the structure must be built to receive what the API returns.

The use of IBM-supplied data structures eliminates having to create your own data structures. For information on IBM-supplied data structures that are contained in library QSYSINC, see Include files and the QSYSINC Library.

Note: Read the Code license and disclaimer information for important legal information.

Example of incorrect coding: Define a data structure

When the program that defines a data structure is run, it does the following:

In this example, the data structure to be used with the QUSLJOB API has been defined incorrectly. The incorrectly defined variables are JNAME and USRNAM. The JNAME length is defined as 1 through 12 and the USRNAM length as 13 through 20. This is shown at (1). The data displayed (JNAME variable) will be incorrect. The correct coding is shown at (2).

 *****************************************************************
 *
 *Program Name: PGM1
 *
 *Program Language:  RPG
 *
 *Description: This sample program illustrates the incorrect
 *             way of defining data structures.
 *
 *Header Files Included: QUSEC - Error Code Parameter
 *                       QUSGEN - User Space Format for Generic Header
 *
 *APIs Used:  QUSCRTUS  - Create User Space
 *            QUSLJOB   - List Job
 *            QUSRTVUS  - Retrieve User Space
 *            QUSDLTUS  - Delete User Space
 *****************************************************************
 * THIS PROGRAM WILL CREATE THE NECESSARY SPACE AND THEN CALL
 * THE QUSLJOB API TO GET A LIST OF ALL ACTIVE JOBS ON THE SYSTEM.
 * THE FIRST JOB NAME/USER WILL BE DISPLAYED TO THE USER.
 *
 * BRING IN THE USER SPACE GENERIC HEADER
I/COPY QSYSINC/QRPGSRC,QUSGEN
 * BRING IN THE ERROR STRUCTURE FROM QSYSINC
I/COPY QSYSINC/QRPGSRC,QUSEC
 ** JOB NAME STRUCTURE FOR CALLING QUSLJOB
IJOBNAM     DS
I I            '*ALL      '              1  10 JOB
I I            '*ALL      '             11  20 USER
I I            '*ALL  '                 21  26 JOBNUM
 ** JOBL0100 FORMAT RETURNED FROM QUSLJOB API
 ** INCORRECTLY CODE THE JNAME/USRNAM LENGTHS
IRECVR     DS
I                                        1  12 JNAME        (1)
I                                       13  20 USRNAM       (1)
I                                       21  26 JOBNBR
I                                       27  42 JOBID
I                                       43  52 JSTAT
I                                       53  53 JTYPE
I                                       54  54 JSUBT
I                                       55  56 RESRV
 **
ISPCNAM      DS
I I            'SPCNAME   '              1  10 SPC
I I            'QTEMP     '             11  20 LIB
** OTHER ASSORTED VARIABLES
I           DS
I I            2000                  B   1   40SIZ
I I                                  B   5   80START
I I                                  B   9  120LENDTA
I I            X'00'                    13   13INTVAL
 *
 * SET UP TO ACCEPT EXCEPTIONS
C                    Z-ADD*ZEROS    QUSBNB
 *
 * CREATE THE SPACE TO HOLD THE DATA
C                    CALL 'QUSCRTUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM 'EXT_ATTR'EXTATR 10
C                    PARM           SIZ
C                    PARM           INTVAL
C                    PARM '*ALL    'PUBAUT 10
C                    PARM 'TEXT DSC'TXTDSC 50
C                    PARM '*YES    'REPLAC 10
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * CALL THE API TO LIST THE ACTIVE JOBS
C                    CALL 'QUSLJOB'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM 'JOBL0100'FORMAT  8
C                    PARM           JOBNAM
C                    PARM '*ACTIVE 'STAT   10
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * RETRIEVE THE OFFSET OF THE FIRST LIST ENTRY FROM THE SPACE
C                    Z-ADD1         START
C                    Z-ADD140       LENDTA
C                    CALL 'QUSRTVUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           START
C                    PARM           LENDTA
C                    PARM           QUSBP
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * RETRIEVE THE FIRST LIST ENTRY
C           QUSBPQ   ADD  1         START
C                    Z-ADD56        LENDTA
C                    CALL 'QUSRTVUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           START
C                    PARM           LENDTA
C                    PARM           RECVR
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * DISPLAY THE JOB NAME
C                    DSPLY          JNAME  
 ****************************
 * When displayed, JNAME    *
 * will look something like *
 * 'QCPF       QS'          *
 ****************************
 * DELETE THE SPACE THAT HELD THE DATA
C                    CALL 'QUSDLTUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 **
C                    SETON                     LR

Example: Define a data structure of correct coding

The following program uses a data structure that is supplied from the QSYSINC library. When you use this data structure, you can prevent errors in data structure creation from happening. If the data structures change from release to release, updates to programs do not have to be done. The application program would have to be updated only if a new field was added to the data structure and you wanted to use the field. The copying of the QSYSINC data structure is shown at (2).

 *
 *
 *****************************************************************
 *
 *Program Name: PGM2
 *
 *Program Language:  RPG
 *
 *Description: This sample program illustrates the correct
 *             way of defining data structures.
 *
 *Header Files Included: QUSEC - Error Code Parameter
 *                       QUSGEN - User Space Format for Generic Header
 *                       QUSLJOB - List Job API
 *
 *APIs Used:  QUSCRTUS  - Create User Space
 *            QUSLJOB   - List Job
 *            QUSRTVUS  - Retrieve User Space
 *            QUSDLTUS  - Delete User Space
 *
 *
 * THIS PROGRAM WILL CREATE THE NECESSARY SPACE AND THEN CALL
 * THE QUSLJOB API TO GET A LIST OF ALL ACTIVE JOBS ON THE SYSTEM.
 * THE FIRST JOB NAME/USER WILL BE DISPLAYED TO THE USER.
 *
I/COPY QSYSINC/QRPGSRC,QUSGEN
I/COPY QSYSINC/QRPGSRC,QUSEC
I/COPY QSYSINC/QRPGSRC,QUSLJOB                             (2)
 ** JOB NAME STRUCTURE FOR CALLING QUSLJOB
IJOBNAM    DS
I I            '*ALL      '              1  10 JOB
I I            '*ALL      '             11  20 USER
I I            '*ALL'                   21  26 JOBNUM
 ** JOBL0100 FORMAT RETURNED FROM QUSLJOB API
 **
 **
ISPCNAM     DS
I I            'SPCNAME   '              1  10 SPC
I I            'QTEMP     '             11  20 LIB
 ** OTHER ASSORTED VARIABLES
I           DS
I I            2000                  B   1   40SIZ
I I                                  B   5   80START
I I                                  B   9  120LENDTA
I I            X'00'                    13  13 INTVAL
 *
 * SET UP TO ACCEPT EXCEPTIONS
C                    Z-ADD*ZEROS    QUSBNB
 *
 * CREATE THE SPACE TO HOLD THE DATA
C                    CALL 'QUSCRTUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM 'EXT_ATTR'EXTATR 10
C                    PARM           SIZ
C                    PARM           INTVAL
C                    PARM '*ALL    'PUBAUT 10
C                    PARM 'TEXT DSC'TXTDSC 50
C                    PARM '*YES    'REPLAC 10
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * CALL THE API TO LIST THE ACTIVE JOBS
C                    CALL 'QUSLJOB'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM 'JOBL0100'FORMAT  8
C                    PARM           JOBNAM
C                    PARM '*ACTIVE 'STAT   10
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * RETRIEVE THE OFFSET OF THE FIRST LIST ENTRY FROM THE SPACE
C                    Z-ADD1         START
C                    Z-ADD140       LENDTA
C                    CALL 'QUSRTVUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           START
C                    PARM           LENDTA
C                    PARM           QUSBP
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * RETRIEVE THE FIRST LIST ENTRY
C          QUSBPQ    ADD  1         START
C                    Z-ADD56        LENDTA
C                    CALL 'QUSRTVUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           START
C                    PARM           LENDTA
C                    PARM           QUSDD
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 *
 * DISPLAY THE JOB NAME
C                    DSPLY          QUSDDB  
 *************************
 *  Correct job name     *
 *  will now show as     *
 *  'QCPF      '         *
 *************************
 * DELETE THE SPACE THAT HELD THE DATA
C                    CALL 'QUSDLTUS'
C                    PARM           SPCNAM
C                    PARM           QUSBN
 **
C                    SETON                     LR
Related concepts
Data types