Invoking File-AID/RDX

File-AID/RDX executes as a dialog under IBM’s ISPF/PDF dialog manager facility. You can invoke File-AID/RDX by selecting the File-AID/RDX option from a customized version of the ISPF/PDF 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, enter the appropriate code in the Option field and press Enter. See File-AID/RDX Primary Options for a detailed explanation of each option.

The Primary Option Menu also displays the name of the current Profile and its Type (SITE, USER, or prefix). SITE profiles can only be modified by authorized users. The profile establishes the default values for the extract and load functions. This allows you, for example, to run an extract job by simply accepting all the profile provided defaults, without stepping through a lengthy extract specification process.

To specify a profile, simply enter the type and name. When specifying a profile name that doesn’t exist or a pattern, File-AID/RDX will display the Select Profile Screen screen.

File-AID/RDX primary options

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 assists you in 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 objects, and/or IMS or Output Key File in the File-AID/RDX relationship file.
• Create, view, delete, and edit conditional (data-driven) application relationships.

These Relationship Utilities allow you to:

• Allocate relationship file
• Load and update RI in relationship file
• Print 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 (see also Input Key File Specification) or as input into another process as you choose. When the relationship is to an IMS segment, use the Output Key File with BMC Compuware File-AID for IMS to extract IMS data.

When you also create a COBOL record layout of the extracted file, you can use BMC Compuware File-AID/EX 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 Privacy, or the BMC Compuware File-AID Data Privacy component of the BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench¹.

Batch Extract Checkpoint and Resumption

File-AID/RDX provides the ability to stop a checkpoint enabled extract and resume the extract execution from the checkpoint (see also Stopping/Resuming Batch Extract Execution ). Use this functionality when you anticipate a long running extract that might not complete within your site’s constraints or when executing complex related extracts.

BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench Data Visualizer

The Data Visualizer component of the BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench provides another way to view the relationship definitions in an extract request file. Also, when requesting a Topaz Extract Visualizer file for an extract (see 9 - Supporting Files), it allows for step-by-step Extract Visualization within the Data Visualizer component of the BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench. The insight provided by the Topaz Extract Visualizer allows you to better understand complex related extracts, extract requests, and relationship repositories. You will benefit by developing higher quality extracts, enhanced understanding of troublesome extract areas, and quicker problem resolution if tuning is needed. Refer to the BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench documentation for more information on the Data Visualizer.

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 choose between using 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 in batch mode. 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 sensitive 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. You have the option to define disguise criteria by either using the File-AID/RDX Option 5, Data Privacy, or the BMC Compuware File-AID Data Privacy component of the BMC Compuware Topaz Workbench. Data Privacy requires installation of Compuware’s BMC Compuware File-AID/Data Solutions and, optionally, BMC Compuware File-AID 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
• Specify Execute Saved Request (ESR) options
• Compress or Decompress Extract File
• Generate readable DDL from Extract File.

Option G—Global Defaults

Specify the 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 an extract, load, delete, or disguise job, specify a Dynamic Privacy Rules Repository, 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 BMC Compuware File-AID for Db2.

Option T—Tutorial

View an online tutorial for novice users.

Option X—Exit

Terminates your File-AID/RDX session.