Audit Journal Data Mart

This is something that caught my attention when the latest Technology Refreshes were announced: the ability to create a database of journal entry types entries. I had been doing something similar using the CREATE TABLE SQL statement and various of the Audit journal entry services, AUDIT_JOURNAL_xx. But these additions added functionality that makes it easier for me to extract the journal entries from the System Audit Journal, QAUDJRN.

The two new additions are:

1. MANAGE_AUDIT_JOURNAL_DATA_MART:  SQL procedure that uses the various AUDIT_JOURNAL_xx to create an output table.
2. AUDIT_JOURNAL_DATA_MART_INFO:  SQL View that displays information about all the files created with the MANAGE_AUDIT_JOURNAL_DATA_MART SQL procedure.

RPG Cafe updated with Fall 2024 enhancements

The RPG Cafe has been updated with the four changes that will be coming in the latest Technology Refreshes, IBM i 7.5 TR5 and 7.4 TR11.

These enhancements are:

• In preparation for the switch to the "1970" rule for six long dates, with two digit years, there will be a compile option when used allows you identify where a two digit year is used in the program or module, see here for more details.
   
• The ability to use the %PROC BiF in the ON-EXIT section of a procedure. Learn more here.
   
• Two new BiFs, %HIVAL and %LOVAL that will return the largest or smallest possible value that can be held in a variable. The details are here.

I consider these three great additions to the modern RPG language.

NHMUG calls it a day

I am always saddened to learn that an IBM i Local User Group, LUG, stops functioning.

Yesterday, I learned the New Hampshire Midrange User Group, NHMUG, announced on their website that they were disbanding. You can read their announcement here.

This just leaves one IBM i user-related organization in the New England region, the Northeast Users Groups Conference. NEUGC holds an annual conference, see their website for details of the 2025 conference.

If you have any updates for any other IBM i related LUG please let me know via the Contact form on the right.

For a list of all the active IBM i User Groups I have found check out the user groups page.

Fall 2024 TRs announced

The Fall Technology Refreshes for IBM i 7.5, TR5, and 7.4, TR11, were announced this morning.

Having a quick glance at the announcement documentation from IBM it would appear that the two have the identical changes:

• Db2 of i (SQL)
  • 14 enhancements
  • 9 new additions
• RPG
  • 3 new additions

Audit Journal Entry Services

I have managed to persuade the admins of the server I use to develop the code for these posts upon to give me access to the Audit Journal, QAUDJRN, this gives me the opportunity to write about several enhancements that have made to Db2 for i that makes getting information from QAUDJRN.

Over the past few releases and Technology Refreshes IBM has given us many Audit Journal Services. As QAUDJRN contains many different types of journal entries IBM has given us a specific Audit Journal Service for just about every journal entry type.

All of Audit Journal Services are called: AUDIT_JOURNAL_xx, where xx is the journal entry type. As of IBM i 7.5 TR4/IBM i 7.4 TR10 there are 41 of these Audit Journal Entry Services, out of a total of 76. That is 54% of all journal entry types covered. I do not know if the plan is to cover all of the job entry types, or not.

October's presentations

This month I have three events I am involved with.

On Monday October 7 I will be talking to COMMON's N2i in a presentation called "Getting Started with Modern RPG Arrays and BiFs". As this is for the N2i it is designed to be at a suitable level for people new to the IBM i platform.

Thre presentation is free, and you can register at N2i website here.

I am talking with the West Michigan IBM i User Group on Tuesday October 15 about "Maximizing the benefits of embedding SQL in your RPG code". The presentation will start at 8:00 AM (ET).

WMSUG updated their website, therefore, you can learn more and register for this event here.

I am on my travels again visiting my friends for Common Denmark's annual conference, on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 October. You can learn more about, and register, for the conference here.

I hope to see you there. And if you are attending and you see me, please introduce yourself and say "Hej".