Rules for specifying target server file names for DDM

The rules for specifying the name of a DDM file (on the local iSeries™ server) are the same as for any other file type on an iSeries server. The rules, however, for specifying the name of a remote file depend on the type of target server.

A remote file name can be specified only on the RMTFILE parameter of the Create DDM File (CRTDDMF) and Change DDM File (CHGDDMF) commands. The following list is the maximum number of characters that can be used on the RMTFILE parameter to specify a remote file name:

For the iSeries server (database management): 33 characters. This maximum can occur when a full name is specified that includes a library qualifier and a member name. For example:
```
LIBRARY123/FILE123456(MEMBER1234)
```
The value DM can be added to the name to specify that this is a data management file. There can be one or more blanks between the name and DM. This is the default.
For the iSeries server (folder management services): 76 characters. This maximum can occur when a fully qualified path name (consisting of 76 characters) is specified. For example:
```
/Path123/Path223/Path323/Path423/
   Path523/Path623/Path723/Path823/Path923/DOC1 FMS
```
The value FMS specifies that this is a folder management object. There can be one or more blanks between the name and FMS.
For System/38™: 33 characters. This maximum can occur when a full name is specified that includes a library qualifier and a member name. For example:
```
FILE123456.LIBRARY123(MEMBER1234)
```
For System/36™ and CICS^®: 8 characters. For example:
```
FILE1234
```
For other systems: 255 characters is the maximum length allowed by the DDM architecture. The actual maximum length and syntax are determined by the target server.

Target iSeries file names for DDM
As with local files, every iSeries remote file, library name, or member must begin with an alphabetic character (A through Z, $, #, or @) and can be followed by no more than 9 alphanumeric characters: A through Z, 0 through 9, $, #, @, _, or period (.). No name can exceed 10 characters. Blanks are not allowed in iSeries names.
Target non-iSeries file names for DDM
For non-iSeries remote file names, the name must be in the form required by the target server.
Use location-specific file names for commonly named files for DDM
When multiple servers are involved in a network, naming DDM files with location-specific file names can reduce confusion about which target server is being accessed for a file that has a commonly used name.

Parent topic: Access files with DDM

Related reference

iSeries server and System/36 DDM differences

iSeries server and System/38 DDM differences