OS/400 contains such a wealth of function that you can easily overlook commands that could make your life easier. The Start Copy Screen (STRCPYSCN) command that I'll cover in this article often falls into this category. It is not vital to AS/400 operations, it is rarely in day-to-day use, and it is somehow easy to forget. In fact, I tend to forget its name! STRCPYSCN is an important tool for debugging. It can also be used to capture a series of AS/400 screens for documentation if your documentation tools require text-based screen images rather than graphics files.
You can use STRCPYSCN to copy screen images from one workstation to another, or it can write each screen image to a database file. If you use it interactively, you'll be able to see exactly what's happening at a user's workstation. This can be extremely helpful in diagnosing whether there is a programming error, an operational error, or a misunderstanding between the programmer and the user. One caveat: the receiving workstation (the programmer's workstation in this scenario) will lag the source workstation (the user's workstation) by one screen. For example, if a new panel is displayed each time the user presses Enter, you won't see the new panel until he presses Enter again.
Using STRCPYSCN to copy a series of workstation images to a database file has two primary uses: it provides a long-range record of every panel to aid you with complex debugging, and you can use the screen images to create documentation.
As a documentation tool, STRCPYSCN leaves something to be desired. There are several quirks in the file format that you'll need to resolve before you include these screens in a document. The first problem is that the database file created by the STRCPYSCN command contains attribute codes for the screen fields displayed by the source workstation. You can strip out these codes by copying the file to a spool file with the Copy File (CPYF) command and then copying the spool file back to a database file with the Copy Spool File (CPYSPLF) command.
If you use this method, define a printer file to receive the copy of the database file created by the STRCPYSCN command. The printer file needs to be wide enough for the entire database record, or you may get some peculiar results. For the example shown in 1, I used a column width of 250 characters. I also defined the printer file using all default values to avoid headers and line numbers in the finished documentation.
If you use this method, define a printer file to receive the copy of the database file created by the STRCPYSCN command. The printer file needs to be wide enough for the entire database record, or you may get some peculiar results. For the example shown in Figure 1, I used a column width of 250 characters. I also defined the printer file using all default values to avoid headers and line numbers in the finished documentation.
Even after stripping out the attribute characters, you will notice that the panels in the database file are not properly alligned. For example, the two lines highlighted in 1 are not wrapped properly. This occurs when STRCPYSCN creates the outfile, and it must be corrected manually if you want to use the output for documentation. All in all, I think STRCPYSCN is much more useful as a debugging tool than as a documentation tool.
Even after stripping out the attribute characters, you will notice that the panels in the database file are not properly alligned. For example, the two lines highlighted in Figure 1 are not wrapped properly. This occurs when STRCPYSCN creates the outfile, and it must be corrected manually if you want to use the output for documentation. All in all, I think STRCPYSCN is much more useful as a debugging tool than as a documentation tool.
STRCPYSCN Parameters
There are only two required parameters for STRCPYSCN?the source device (SRCDEV) and the output device (OUTDEV). SRCDEV specifies the workstation that images are copied from. Valid values are a display station device name or the special value *REQUESTER. A break message is issued to the source device requesting permission to start the copy.
The OUTDEV parameter specifies whether output is to a file or a workstation, and, if output is to a workstation, it specifies which workstation. Valid values are *NONE (output is to a database file), *REQUESTER (output is to the work-station issuing the STRCPYSCN command), or a display station device name.
If OUTDEV specifies a device other than the one you are running the command from, the target device must be signed off. One thing you can accomplish by entering a display station device name for OUTDEV is to send screens from your current work-station to a colleague's workstation. For example, you can use this technique if you want to share a problem you are trying to debug.
You may specify either SRCDEV or OUTDEV, but not both, as *REQUESTER. If STRCPYSCN is submitted to batch, you may not specify either SRCDEV or OUTDEV as *REQUESTER.
The STRCPYSCN command has three optional parameters. Use the JOBQ parameter when output is to a display station other than *REQUESTER. It specifies the job queue used to submit the job that displays the screens copied from the source device.
Use the other two optional parameters, OUTFILE and OUTMBR, to specify the output file if OUTDEV is *NONE. The valid values and defaults for these parameters adhere to OS/400 standards. The default value for output to an existing file member is *REPLACE.
ENDCPYSCN
A command such as STRCPYSCN requires a partner command, in this case End Copy Screen (ENDCPYSCN). ENDCPYSCN has only one parameter, the name of the source workstation. The default is *REQUESTER, meaning the workstation issuing the ENDCPYSCN command. If the user at the source workstation presses the Attn key and types ENDCPYSCN at the command line, no parameters are allowed and STRCPYSCN is ended for that work-station. STRCPYSCN will be ended implicitly if the source workstation is signed off.
STRCPYSCN and its partner, ENDCPYSCN, fall into the category of OS/400 luxuries. They probably aren't critical to your day-to-day operations, but they have the ability to make life easier. I hope that this article will encourage you to take advantage of them and that you'll be able to remember the name of "that command that copies screen images" more easily than I can!
Sharon Hoffman is the editor of Midrange Computing.
Have You Met STRCPYSCN?
Figure 1: Sample STRCPYSCN Documentation Output
....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8....+....9....+....0....+....1....+....2....+....3..0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180656 01 Work with Messages 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 02 System: MCPGMR 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 03 Messages for: HOFSHA 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 04 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 05 Type options below, then press Enter. 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 06 4=Remove 5=Display details and reply 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 07 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 08 Opt Message 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 09 Messages needing a reply 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 10 (No messages available) 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 11 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 12 Messages not needing a reply 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 13 Cause . . . . . : Start copy screen has been requested with output t 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 14 o *NONE. Reply C to prevent copy screen or G to allow it. (C G) 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 15 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 16 From . . : HOFSHA 08/29/95 18:05:52 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 17 Reply . . : g 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 18 Copy Screen Image from QPADEV0001 has ended. 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 19 Cause . . . . . : Start copy screen has been requested with output t 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 20 o QPADEV0003. Reply C to prevent copy screen or G to allow it. (C G) 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 21 More. 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 22 .. F1=Help F3=Exit F5=Refresh F6=Display system operator messages 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 23 F16=Remove messages not needing a reply F17=Top F24=More keys 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 24 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8....+....9....+....0....+....1....+....2....+....3..0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180703 01 MAIN AS/400 Main Menu 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 02 System: MCPGMR 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 03 Select one of the following: 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 04 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 05 1. User tasks 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 06 2. Office tasks 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 07 3. General system tasks 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 08 4. Files, libraries, and folders 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 09 5. Programming 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 10 6. Communications 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 11 7. Define or change the system 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 12 8. Problem handling 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 13 9. Display a menu 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 14 10. Information Assistant options 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 15 11. Client Access tasks 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 16 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 17 90. Sign off 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 18 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 19 Selection or command 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 20 ===> wrkmbrpdm 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 21 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 22 F3=Exit F4=Prompt F9=Retrieve F12=Cancel F13=Information Assistant 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 23 F23=Set initial menu 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709 24 0950829180551MCPGMR 0950829180709
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