Newbie Questions about AS/400, Query/400 & MAPICS
Al Gershen
I just started working in the cost accounting department of a
manufacturing company that has an IBM AS/400. The principle software
used is MAPICS and Query/400.
My experiences have been with PCs and related accounting software (CA
BPI and Quickbooks).
What is the quickest way for me to get up to speed in this non-GUI
environment? I almost feel like I'm looking at the computer screen of a
1982 DOS IBM PC.
My employer has purchased me a copy of IBM's "Query/400 Use" manual as a
starter.
My initial interests deal with understanding how the Query/400 program
accesses the accounting information in MAPICS.
The persons I have replaced have left a legacy of almost 1,200 queries
stored in two libraries. My task, in part, is to determine what each of
these queries is for and if they serve a current use.
I guess one question that I have thought about is why are so many
queries necessary in the first palace? Is the MAPICS program so
impotent that it can't produce its own reports to serve the needs of
management?
I would be appreciative of all your suggestions.
Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
al...@webtv.net and al...@mail.rvi.net;
and thru ICQ # 12342782
Rob
Mainframe experience....
To get up to speed I took an AS/400 operations course & RPG/400
programming course at a local college---QUERY/400 was nothing to pick
up....; but RPG was GOD aweful--it has to be the ugliest programming
language I have ever seen..I"ll get used to it I guess...
Anyway-I have found in my caeer that many times when people don't
understand all the capabilities of a system--they work around
things---do stuff on their own & write--maybe 1200 queries when in
fact the system (MAPICS) might do many things. In my previous job, we
made a list of all reports & sent around asking what was/wasn's
used..then tucked the non used ones in a library just in case they were
really needed....
You will be fine---------day @ a time, do what you can, get priorities
straight & good luck...
Rob
Al Gershen
In response to my original posting, I received a very comprehensive
letter from Dave Abramowitz.
I've posted it here so that others can become informed on this subject
as I am about to.
>"You'll do much better if you drop the
>attitude."
I'm very sorry if you believe that I have an "attitude." I don't have
any experience with Server computers such as the IBM AS/400 and my
original comments were based on my "uninformed" first impressions when
compared to my PC experiences.
I certainly will read over your comments very carefully and try to
implement them as I learn my employer's accounting system.
Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
al...@webtv.net and al...@mail.rvi.net;
and thru ICQ # 12342782
-----Copy of Dave's 3/5/00 E-Mail-----
Message From: dabra...@csi.com (David Abramowitz)
Date: Sun, Mar 5, 2000, 6:33am (PST+3)
To: al...@webtv.net (Al Gershen)
Subject: Re: Newbie Questions about AS/400, Query/400 & MAPICS
You'll do much better if you drop the attitude.
A few things about the AS/400:
It uses a 64-bit OS called OS/400. The best that Windows, NT or Unix can
do is 32 bit.
It comes with it's own built in RDBMS which is fully integrated into the
OS. It's called DB2/400. You will access this data from Query/400.
MAPICS is a rather old system. If your company has not had recent
updates, it may still use an arcane structure. The MAPICS software
support will provide updates, at a cost if desired.
5250 Screen handling is capable of "Pull Downs", "Single and
Multi-Choice Buttons", "Scrollbars" "Windows" and other GUI effects. If
you use 5250 emulation at a PC with a screen scraper, or viewing 5250
screens through a browser, using a JAVA based 5250 handler, the screens
will appear to look exactly like a Windows based GUI application.
The largest AS/400 is capable of handling 60,000 simultaneous users. The
RDBMS is scalable to over 2 terrabytes of addressability. The smallest
AS/400 (Model 150) is designed for five or six users. There is no system
in the world more scaleable.
Every new AS/400 comes with a built in Web Server as part of the OS.
Full TCP/IP support is included.
If you think of the AS/400 as just another server, you will be able to
write VB, or C++ apps on the PC that can access DB2/400 through eiither
ODBC, or OLE with ADO. In this regard, the AS?400 is no different than
any other server.
A single AS/400 can serve a network as a Database Server, File Server,
Fax Server, Mail Server, Domino Server, Web Server, Notes Server, etc.
You can even place as many as 15 boards inside an AS/400 each running
Windows NT!
There has never been a virus on an AS/400.
Built in Security features have the governments GS-6 rating.
Independent brain trusts like Aberdeen and the Gartner group, rate the
AS/400 higher than any other platform in the areas of Reliability; Total
Cost of Ownership; Return on Investment; and Ease of Use. You can verify
this independently.
As to learning how to use Query/400, and why there were so many Queries
written. I can only surmise some possible reasons:
Many of the Queries you look at were one-time-only reports. They were
saved but not used again. Others may be duplicates, or similar to
pre-existing Queiries, Others may simply be obsolete.
Standard Packaged reports that come with MAPICS can only do so much, in
such a complex system. Before you can analyze the needs of the end
users, you must familiarize yourself with the MAPICS database. You will
find this far more complex than anything you have ever seen in
Quickbooks. As personell changes, new people will want there own
versions of pre-existing reports. Variations on a theme you might say.
There are two ways of doing this. A programming staff can create front
ends to reports, and program variations within, or a non-programming
staff can create Queries.
Most AS/400s also come with SQL, another way to access the data.
If you are using Client Access (CA/400) from a PC, you may be familiar
with viewing AS/400 screens through an emulator. CA/400 and other
similar programs also come with an ODBC driver that will allow you to
access DB2/400 directly from PC applications! You can use a product like
Seagate's "Crystal Reports" to create reports on the PC using AS/400
data, compile those reports into executables (.EXE files) and distribute
them to other users.
In this regard the AS/400 is just as GUI as anything else.
Dave
Al Gershen
have copied it below for all to take note of.
I will follow up on his suggestion of an IBM AS/400 text but
unfortunately I'm not in a position to offer Mr. Warning employment at
my employer's offices.
They have hired me to put some order into their query libraries and to
document the organization of these queries in writing.
It's an interesting assignment along with the other cost accounting
duties I will be performing for the company.
I sincerely appreciate the responses I have received on my original
posting.
Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
al...@webtv.net and al...@mail.rvi.net;
and thru ICQ # 12342782
------William Warning's E-mail------
Message From: s...@millcomm.com (William Warning)
Date: Sun, Mar 5, 2000, 8:33pm (PST+2)
To: al...@webtv.net, al...@mail.rvi.net
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Newbie Questions about AS/400, Query/400 & MAPICS]
William Warning wrote:
Mr. Gershen,
I recommend you get the book Mastering the AS/400 (FIRST edition) by
Jerry Fottral. Unfortunately, this first edition is out-of-print.
You might consider hiring me on a temporary basis. I currently work at
American Express Financial Advisors in their Field Accounting office (as
a temp with Kelly Services). My assignment ends in April.
I hold a four-year univ degree in accounting and have considerable
relevant AS/400 experience. I'd be happy to send you a resume. I have
available, near my Minnesota house, an AS/400 for my exclusive use. It
is an old (V2.R1) model probably very similar to yours.
I am free to travel to your site.
Wm.(Bill) Warning (763) 546-0191
- - - - - - F O R W A R D I N G S E P A R A T O R - -
- - - -
(My Original Usnet Posting Snipped)
Jonathan Ball
The shorter version of Dave's reply (without the AS/400 cheerleading,
which I would be happy to provide in another context - it's a great
machine):
He is probably right about the large number of queries being due to a
lot of one-off queries being written and never deleted. I doubt there
is any substitute for looking at each one and determining what it does.
There are two big clues to look for in determining if a given query is
an old one-off that may no longer be needed: 1) the Changed date, in
the WRKQRY display (shows queries in a particular library); 2) look at
the record selection for a query (Select Records, in the query
definition screen). An old query, with very specific record selection,
is more likely to be obsolete. Naturally, you'll want to do plenty of
checking around before deleting any, and be sure to save all of them
first.
MAPICS is indeed very old code. I first saw it in 1982, after moving to
the System/38 from an IBM mainframe environment, using COBOL. I think
it was old even then (I believe it goes back to the System/34, maybe
even earlier.) I didn't think I'd ever master RPG, looking at the rat's
nest of code in MAPICS programs. I did it, anyway. I still support a
very small bit of MAPICS at one of my clients, and the code looks
fundamentally the same as it did in 1982.
Query/400 is a good quick-n-dirty tool, and as long as the requirements
of a report are not too complex, it is adequate even for production
reporting. It isn't pretty, but it works. If needed, you can convert
them easily to Query Management queries, which allow parameters to be
passed to them, enabling them to be run in batch (Query/400 queries
can't accept parameters.)
I haven't seen MAPICS in a manufacturing environment for quite a while
(believe it or not, the current client I have who runs the package is
using only the payroll application...in a reinsurance company!) I can't
recall what kind of manufacturing related reports are available. I
imagine the queries were written to provide narrower views of data,
quite possibly date-, item number-, or order-sensitive. As I recall,
MAPICS does not have a report writer.
Good luck with it.
Jonathan Ball
Ball Information Systems, Inc.
Pasadena, CA
Seven Out
In response to my original posting, I received a very comprehensive
letter from Dave Abramowitz.
Response:
my guess is because he was afraid to post it.
David Abromowitz said:
You'll do much better if you drop the attitude.
A few things about the AS/400: It uses a 64-bit OS called OS/400. The
best that Windows, NT or Unix can do is 32 bit.
Response:
For some one preaching about attitude you need to lighten up and get
your facts straight. UNIX (Solaris, IRIX) is 64 bit.
The original post referanced the interface of the AS/400 as being like
the original PC. I work on an AS/400 and totally agree. IBM needs to
wake up and realize the 'green screen' (as it is known) sucks.
David Abromowitz said:
MAPICS is a rather old system
Response:
So, the AS/400 is 10 years old. It is still kicking bu**
David Abromowitz said:
There has never been a virus on an AS/400.
Response:
Not true. Any coder with access to an AS/400 and RPG experiance can
easily write a virus. There are, admittadly few. Do not be lulled into
a false sense of security though. You still have to stay on your toes.
David Abromowitz said:
It comes with it's own built in RDBMS which is fully integrated into
the OS. It's called DB2/400.
Response:
Not exactly true. You can purchase the system without the RDBMS. This
is for those who want to use the system as a Domino server, which has
it's own database. Originally it did come with DB2/400 installed.
David Abromowitz said:
Every new AS/400 comes with a built in Web Server as part of the OS
Response:
This is news to me. (see previous). Last time I checked you had to
purchase web functionality separately. If you want to check out the
basic model to verify go here to read the software list:
http://www.as400.ibm.com/handbook/5486m150.html
David Abromowitz said:
....In this regard the AS/400 is just as GUI as anything else
Response:
The AS/400 is not now, nor will it ever be a GUI environment. No matter
what it's defenders say. It is a great machine that does several things
well. It does not do GUI nor should it.
David Abromowitz said:
You can even place as many as 15 boards inside an AS/400 each running
Windows NT!
Response:
Don't, you will regret trying it. It is a waste of the system. This is
a good example of being able to do something does not in itself mean it
should be done. (Would you hold up a metal rod in a lightning storm?
you can, but is it smart?)
David Abromowitz said:
Built in Security features have the governments GS-6 rating
Response:
That is sort of true. The rating is based upon certain restrictions
that are reliant on those maintaining the system. It is difficult to
get this rating, but do not think that it is easy to set up a system or
that the system is set up that way out of the shipping carton.
My persoanl take on the 400 is: It rocks. If you use it properly, it
has *NO* equals. It is not however, all things. It has it's place.
As for learning Query/400, I recommend this book: SQL/400, by Martyn &
Hartley & Johnson.
As for the system read this: Mastering the AS/400 by Fottrall.
They can be found here: www.news400.com or www.bookpool.com.
In general the writing on the AS/400 leaves a great deal to be desired,
so you will have to practice.
Hope that helps.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Karl Hanson
>
<snip>
>
> David Abromowitz said:
> It comes with it's own built in RDBMS which is fully integrated into
> the OS. It's called DB2/400.
>
> Response:
> Not exactly true. You can purchase the system without the RDBMS. This
> is for those who want to use the system as a Domino server, which has
> it's own database. Originally it did come with DB2/400 installed.
If you are referring to the Dedicated Server for Domino line (yellow
servers), this is not true. DB2 UDB for AS/400 is not a separately
installed product, but rather part of OS/400. See this link for
clarification:
http://www.as400.ibm.com/domino/Q&AWebV2.htm#family
>
> David Abromowitz said:
> Every new AS/400 comes with a built in Web Server as part of the OS
>
> Response:
> This is news to me. (see previous). Last time I checked you had to
> purchase web functionality separately. If you want to check out the
> basic model to verify go here to read the software list:
> http://www.as400.ibm.com/handbook/5486m150.html
>
The description at the bottom of this URL for BasePak V4R4 includes IBM
HTTP Server for AS/400, but perhaps by "web functionality" you mean
something more.
<snip>
--
Karl Hanson