Invoking File-AID/RDX Primary Option Menu panel

File-AID/RDX executes as a dialog under IBM’s ISPF dialog manager facility. You can invoke File-AID/RDX by selecting the File-AID/RDX option from a customized version of the ISPF Primary Option Menu, or from a sub-menu panel your installation has set up.

The File-AID/RDX Primary Option Menu shown in the following figure is the first screen displayed when you invoke File-AID/RDX.

File-AID/RDX Primary Option Menu

To select an option from the File-AID/RDX Primary Option Menu, type the appropriate code in the OPTION field and press Enter.

In order to access any one of options 0 through G from the File-AID/RDX Primary Options Menu, you must specify a valid SITE or USER profile. If you leave the Profile field blank or enter a pattern, you can select a profile from a list.

The following are options available from the File-AID/RDX Primary Option Menu.

Option 0—Profile

Select and define your File-AID/RDX profiles for extract, load, and disguise functions. You can modify an existing SITE profile and save it as your own USER profile. SITE profiles may only be modified by authorized administrators.

Option 1—Relationships

The Relationship Facilitator represents an alternate approach to maintaining relationships. Specify a Db2 or MVS object and then perform relationship activities:

• Browse, refresh, load, and remove Db2 referential integrity (RI) relationships in the File-AID/RDX relationship file.
• Browse, edit, delete, and create application relationships (AR) between Db2, MVS, and/or IMS or Output Key File in the File-AID/RDX relationship file.
• Create, view, delete, and edit conditional (data-driven) application relationships.
• Print all defined relationships from the relationship file.

Option 2—Extract

Extract relationally intact sets of data from one or more related or unrelated objects (Db2 tables and MVS files). Optionally, File-AID/RDX will extract Db2 data from Db2 image copy so you can execute the extract outside of your Db2 production environment. You can create or modify extract criteria to apply during the extract process. File-AID/RDX generates the JCL to perform the extract in batch mode. Optionally, the extract can be executed interactively online. Additionally, you can combine the extract and load steps into a single JCL procedure.

When the extract request includes a relationship to an Output Key File, File-AID/RDX creates an Output Key File that File-AID/RDX can use as an Input (external) Key File against a driving object in another extract or as input into another process as you choose. When the relationship is to an IMS segment, use the Output Key File with File-AID for IMS to extract IMS data.

When you also create a COBOL record layout of the extracted file, you can use File-AID/EX, formerly known as File-AID/CS, to download and convert the extracted data to other client/server or workstation based DBMS.

The extract process can also disguise the extracted data to provide security for sensitive data. The disguise criteria can be defined by either using the File-AID/RDX Option 5, Data Disguise, or the Data Studio’s Data Privacy component of the Data Studio.

Option 3—Load

Load relationally intact sets of data into one or more related objects (Db2 tables and MVS files). To load Db2 objects you can use SQL INSERT statements or the Db2 LOAD Utility. Load data into existing objects (Db2 tables and MVS files) that are empty or already contain data. In addition, File-AID/RDX can create new tables or files automatically before it loads the data. File-AID/RDX generates the JCL to perform the load. Optionally, the load can be executed interactively online.

Option 4—Delete

Delete records from one or more related Db2 or MVS objects from which you have previously extracted data. File-AID/RDX determines which records should be deleted based on the contents of a File-AID/RDX extract file that you specify.

Option 5—Data Privacy

Disguise extracted data prior to moving it into a test environment. In this context, disguising data means to change the identifying characteristics from the data, such as name and address information, while still maintaining the structure and relationships of the original data. Data Privacy requires installation of File-AID/Data Solutions and, optionally, Data Studio’s Data Privacy products.

These Disguise Utilities allow you to:

• Allocate Disguise Control File
• Allocate Disguise Criteria File
• Print Disguise Control File
• Print Audit Trail

Option 6—Utilities

The RDX utilities allow you to:

• Update relationships in saved extract requests
• Create JCL to Execute Saved Request (ESR) with overrides
• Compress or Decompress Extract File
• Generate readable DDL from Extract File

Option G—Global Defaults

Specify maximum number of entries in your Extract and Load Reference lists, specify whether or not to delete the File-AID/RDX control card PDSEs at the end of a load or delete job, and enter default job statement information. In addition, this option displays which version of File-AID/RDX is in use.

Option FD—FADb2

Transfer to File-AID for Db2.

Option T—Tutorial

View an online tutorial for novice users.

Option X—Exit

Terminates your File-AID/RDX session.