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Please remember that all our training courses can be tailored for your needs. Course outlines are provided as a guideline but feel free to mix and match course contents. We will gladly aid you in constructing a course that fits your particular needs.

Also, the content of Workshops and Sessions can be integrated into your custimized course requirements.

All of the courses include hands-on exercises.

Click on a link for a full course description.

This one day course provides a technical introduction to your IBM i. There are basic hands-on exercises to introduce system access. Access Client Soutions (ACS), 5250 emulation and Navigator for i are used on the course.

Students will acquire a basic understanding of the IBM i operating system architecture and how to access the system.

The following topics will be covered

  • Introduction
  • IBM i
    • Introduce the basics of the system architecture and system objects
    • Familiarization with some displays
    • Describe some of the basic terminology used with the system (objects, libraries etc.)
  • Interfaces
    • Introduce the various interfaces that may be used
      • Access Client Soutions (ACS), 5250 emulation (System menus/displays) and Navigator for i
    • Understand the working environment
      • Control Language
      • Object management
      • Library Management
      • Library Lists
      • Messages
    • Know where to go for HELP
      • On-line Help
      • Information Centre
  • Managing work on the system
    • Jobs
    • Interactive and Batch jobs
    • Subsystems
  • Security concepts

This three day course is designed to introduce the IBM i to analysts and programmers who will be involved in developing or maintaining applications on the system.

Students will acquire a basic understanding of the IBM i operating system architecture and how to access the system. They will also learn how to create database objects and write and compile programs using the development environments.

The following topics will be covered

  • Introduction
  • IBM i
    • Introduce the basics of the system architecture and system objects
    • Familiarization with some displays
    • Describe some of the basic terminology used with the system (objects, libraries etc.)
  • Interfaces
    • Introduce the various interfaces that may be used
      • Access Client Soutions (ACS), 5250 emulation (System menus/displays) and Navigator for i
    • Understand the working environment
      • Control Language
      • Object management
      • Library Management
      • Library Lists
      • The Integrated File System
      • Messages
    • Know where to go for HELP
      • On-line Help
      • Information Centre
  • Managing work on the system
    • Jobs
    • Job descriptions
    • Interactive and Batch jobs
    • Subsystems
    • Scheduled jobs
    • Find that job
    • Job Commands
  • Printing
    • Output Queues, Writers, Devices
    • Printing commands
    • How print finds its way to the printer
    • How to find it if it gets lost
    • Print Writers
  • Security concepts
    • System Values
    • User profiles
      • Class and Special Authority
    • Group Profiles
    • Permission's (Object Authority)
      • Public Authority
    • Authorization Lists
    • Authority Checking
    • Spooled file security
  • Backup and recovery
    • Types of Failure
    • Recovery Options
    • Backup Media
    • Save and Restore
    • Complete System Save
    • Disaster Recovery
  • Performance
    • Definitions
    • Observing Performance
      • Active Jobs
      • System Status
      • Disk Status
  • Problem Determination
    • Useful Commands
    • Working with jobs
    • Message Queues
    • Job Logs
    • History Log
  • Development Environments
    • Source Physical Files
    • Source in the Integrated File System
    • Creating objects
    • Rational Developer for i
    • Access Client Solutions
      • Schemas
      • Run SQL Scripts
  • Db2 for i
    • Defining and maintaining the database using Data Definition Language (DDL) in SQL

This one, or two, day course (depending on level of detail required) introduces IBM Rational Developer for i (RDi), the modern development environment for RPG and COBOL programmers on i. RDi is the replacement for the traditional green screen development toolset of PDM, SEU, SDA, RLU and STRDBG and it has a lot to offer in terms of ease of use, extra features and productivity. But, getting to grips with a new development environment can be challenging. This course aims to give you the kick start required to get up to speed with RDi as quickly as possible.

This course takes you through

  • Connecting to servers
  • Remote System Explorer
  • Basic day to day use (edit/compile)
  • Editor features
    • Basic editing
    • Content Assist
    • Outline View
    • Verify
    • Compile
  • Customization - (filters, commands, library lists, tweaks)
  • Personalization - perspectives and other views
  • Debug
  • DDS Design
  • Database
  • i Projects

This course instructs Administrators, Analysts or Programmers, with responsibilty for defining and/or maintaining a database, on how to define a Db2 for i database using SQL's Data Definition Language (DDL). As well as examining the required SQL statements the course also introduces the tools provided in Access Client Solutions (ACS) to aid in the definition and maintenance of a database.

The following topics will be covered:-

  • A recap on Relational Database
  • Overview and Terminology
  • SQL and IBM i
    • The ACS Main interface - Run SQL Scripts
  • Basic Definitions
    • ACS's Wizards
    • Schema
    • Table
    • Index
    • View
    • Constraints
    • Identity Columns
    • Row Change Timestamps
  • DDL Statements
    • CREATE, ALTER and DROP
  • Other Definitions
    • Triggers
    • Functions
    • Procedures
    • Distinct Types
    • Aliases
    • Sequences
  • Usefule Tools
    • Visual Explain
    • Index Advisor
  • DDL Vs DDS
  • Generating SQL from Database Objects

SQL is being used more and more by the RPG programmer. Not only is SQL replacing DDS for defining databases but it is being used extensively within RPG programs themselves. This course introduces SQL for the RPG Programmer with a lot of emphasis on the use of Access Client Solutions. The course is designed for experienced RPG programmers. You will see how to:

  • Get started with SQL
  • Use SQL's Data Manipulation (DML)
  • Use embedded SQL

The workshop covers the following topics

  • Overview and Terminology
  • SQL and Db2 for it
  • Data Manipulation (DML)
    • Retrieving Data (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY)
    • Updating Data (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
    • GROUP BY, HAVING, Column Functions
    • Special Operators (BETWEEN, IN, LIKE, IS NULL)
    • SQL Functions
    • Selecting From Multiple Files
    • Sub Queries
    • Common Table Expressions
    • Unions
  • The importance of Views
  • Embedded SQL
    • Why use embedded SQL?
    • Basic Syntax
    • Using host variables
    • Using a SELECT statement
    • Using a Cursor
    • Identifying and handling errors
    • The power of INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE
    • Compile options
    • When to use dynamic SQL
    • Using PREPARE and EXECUTE
    • Performance tips
  • A brief overview of Data Definition (DDL)

Please Note:- if required, this course can be presented as a two day course (covering just SQL) and a seperate one day course (covering embedded SQL).

An Introduction to RPG and ILE is designed to run in two parts. Each part takes three days and is separated by an interval to provide an opportunity for the student to become more fluent in RPG before tackling the more advanced topics in part 2. But, if required, the course can be presented as a five day course.

This course is intended for programmers who have programmed in other languages but are new to RPG.

This course will teach the participants the basics of modern RPG and ILE, sufficient to enable them to write and maintain RPG IV programs.

Before attending this course, the student should have:-

  • A basic knowledge of programming (sequence, loops, subroutines etc.)
  • A basic knowledge of the development environment on IBM i
    (available through IBM i for Application Developers)
  • A knowledge of RDi
    (available through Rational Developer for i)

The following topics will be covered-

  • Introduction
  • Coding RPG
  • Basic data types
    • Character, packed, integer, indicator, constant
  • Basic coding structures
    • Expressions
    • If, else, elseif, select/when, for, dow, dou
  • Basic Subprocedures
  • Built In Functions
  • Arrays
  • Data Structures
    • Basics
    • Qualified
    • Arrays
  • Calling Programs
    • Prototypes
  • Reading Data with SQL
    • Selecting a single row
    • Declaring a cursor
    • Fetching a row at a time
    • Fetching multiple rows
  • Reading Data with Native Record Level Access
    • Declaring a file
    • Retrieving a single row (chain and %found)
    • Reading multiple rows (read and %eof
  • Writing to a Print File

An Introduction to RPG and ILE is designed to run in two parts. Each part takes three days and is separated by an interval to provide an opportunity for the student to become more fluent in RPG before tackling the more advanced topics in part 2. But, if required, the course can be presented as a five day course.

This course is intended for programmers who have programmed in other languages but are new to RPG.

This course will teach the participants the basics of modern RPG and ILE, sufficient to enable them to write and maintain RPG IV programs.

Before attending this course, the student should have:-

  • A basic knowledge of programming (sequence, loops, subroutines etc.)
  • Completed Part 1 of this course
  • A basic knowledge of the development environment on IBM i
    (available through IBM i for Application Developers)
  • A knowledge of RDi
    (available through Rational Developer for i)

The following topics will be covered-

  • More data types
  • More on Data Structures
  • Maintaining Data
    • With SQL (insert, update, delete)
    • With Native RLA (write, update, delete)
    • Record Locking
  • Dates, Times and Timestamps
  • Subroutines
  • Handling errors - Exception/Error Handling
  • Introduction to ILE
    • Modules
    • Bind by Copy
    • Bind by Reference
    • Service Programs
  • More on Subprocedures
    • NoMain modules
    • Service programs and subprocedures
  • ILE - Other Topics
    • Binding Directories
    • Binder Language
    • Activation Groups
  • Legacy RPG

We now have a system that is known by many names. Rest assured, courses are applicable to all forms of IBM i (System i, i5, iSeries and AS/400) - regardless of the name.

Courses may be run using a customer machine or ComCon can provide system access, subject to internet connectivity.