Can anyone tell me a quick and easy way to create a database on my user ID that mirrors a production database, so that I can use it for testing purposes and would be able to modify data, etc. without corrupting the production environment?

Thanks,
Tasha

Can anyone tell me a quick and easy way to create a database ......

Can't answer your question Tasha, however, it would be helpful to know what kind of database you are wanting to create, that would help others to answer. Have a great day.

We are running FOCUS 6.8.5 on UNIX. I would like to have a copy of the database that contains product code information (PO's, qty, price, etc.) for the Purchasing Dept. because that's the database my focexecs will run against.

Thanks,
Tasha

Can you just copy the db file?
using nothing more complex than a COPY command?
The use the same master
just point the USE statement to the new location.
USE
D:\APPS\SOMEFILE.FOC
END
becomes
USE
D:\APPS\MYTEST\SOMEFILE.FOC
END

Hi Tasha,
The easiest way to create a test files with WebFOCUS 71 is on the Reporting server console.
Under Metadata, Open an application, Find your Master that you want to create a test file for, Left Click and choose Data Management and you will have options to create the file and load it with test data. This is very quick and easy.
Hope this helps.
Rich

Rich,

Wouldn't that recreate the existing database and not create a new one?

Tasha,

All of the above are relevant and will do the job, but I think you should ask yourself what do you want to use the new test database for?

If it is to test existing MODIFY or MAINTAIN procedures or to test timings, change indexes etc. then you will want to have the same RDBMS type.

If it purely to test reports then you could recreate the database as a FOCUS table by using -

APP HOLD application_folder_name
TABLE FILE existing_db
PRINT *
ON TABLE HOLD AS test_db FORMAT FOCUS
END

It really depends on what you want to test.

T

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tony A,

quote:

Wouldn't that recreate the existing database and not create a new one?

LOL

Hi Tony,
Yes. Sorry I forgot to mention that IF your are doing this ON a production machine you definitely would want to CHANGE the name to reflect that it's a TEST db.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Rich

Hi,

We're not using WebFOCUS, we're using mainframe (ver 6.8 on UNIX (Sun)).

What I'd like to do is create a mirror image of a production database (maybe Purchasing DB) and keep it in a directory on my own user ID (maybe call it TestPurchase). I would like to take maybe a third of the data from production and load it into this test DB to start off with, so that there are less records. Then I would like to use this test database so that I can test my focexecs (table requests, modifies, joins) against it to make sure they're working properly. I've only been using FOCUS for about three weeks, so I'm really not proficient in it at all, and I only have a Repoting manual to use as a reference.

Also, if I want to modify some of the data so that I can specifically test for certain conditions, what is the easiest way to do that? (I haven't written a "Modify" yet, so I can't be sure that would work) Can I create a flat file from existing data, and then just edit the flat file to change the data fields I want to change, then insert those records into the table?

Thanks,
Tasha

APP HOLD application_folder_name
TABLE FILE existing_db
PRINT *
ON TABLE HOLD AS test_db FORMAT FOCUS
END

You can add in here if RECORDLIMIT EQ 1000
To see some data.

Or and If statment that said
IF COMPANY_NUMBER EQ 100.

You can create any kind of subset of data and hold it as a Focus File and use it.

Tasha,

You haven't mentioned what kind of database you're working with. Is it DB2, Oracle, or are they FOCUS databases?

To clarify Prarie's very good suggestion, you could create a new application directory in the IBI Apps directory, use the APP HOLD command to point to this new directory, run the TABLE command to create the FOCUS database and Master. Then, in any subsequent requests, you could add the APP PREPEND command to "prepend" the newly created directory to the FOCUS APP PATH. In this way, the FOCUS databases and Masters you just created would be found before the real, Prod ones, as long as you use the same names.

APP PREPENDPATH application_folder_name

There are several ways to update a FOCUS database in a mainframe environment - FSCAN, SCAN, MODIFY. FSCAN and SCAN are utilities and MODIFY is FOCUS programming code.

Have you found the documentation for your version of FOCUS on the IBI Docs website?

After logging-in, these two links will get you to two volumes of documentation for FOCUS 6.5 (I'm not sure why 6.8 is not available). Right-click on the PDF icons and save the files to your PC.

newbie, yes to all your questions, if i read your correctly; your thinking seems to be perfect; you do need to have a MODIFY manual, before you set out to do what you propose, and as Francis says, go to the ibi support website and download it.
Assuming you have write access to whatever area you're wanting to create your testdb in, you can
create a test db out of your source db a couple of ways, depending on what works, and depending on what your master looks like.
If you have , say, 5000 granular records in your source and you want only 2000 in your test, you can
1.make a copy of your source master file description, rename it something like TESTDB,
2. TABLE out 2000 records from your source db into a flat file and load them into your TESTDB exactly as you had planned.
The MODIFY manual will give you lots of good examples: Here's one simple one just to give you an idea that goes along with your thinking
COPY CAR.MAS MYCAR.MAS
TABLE FILE CAR
IF RECORDLIMIT IS 10 (or however many, or someother filter you might like)
PRINT whatever
BY keyfield1 BY keyfield2 ...
ON TABLE HOLD AS MYDATA FORMAT ALPHA
END
-* your source flat file should be in the same order as your keys in your receiving db
USE
wherever\MYCAR.FOC NEW
END
CREATE FILE MYCAR
MODIFY FILE MYCAR
FIXFORM FROM MYDATA
MATCH keyfield1 (whatever keys fields define the top segment)
ON NOMATCH INCLUDE
ON MATCH UPDATE fieldname(s) whatever fields are in the top segment
MATCH keyfield2 (the next segment)
..etc
DATA ON MYDATA
END

quote:

that I can test

Hi newbie,

To Copy a focus Mainframe database in Production we can use the ICEGENER Utility for Normal copy of the database under your id as highlevel qualifier, and if the Production and development servers are different we can generally XCOM the database thru servers.

Once this database is in test region u can use Various comments in MODIFY to Change the database for testing Purposes as it will be exact replica of ur production database.

The links to the FOCUS for UNIX User's Manuals (2 volumes):

http://documentation.informationbuilders.com/masterinde...detail.asp?docid=833
http://documentation.informationbuilders.com/masterinde...detail.asp?docid=832

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kerry,