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AP160OCL

The provided document is an OCL (Operation Control Language) program, AP160.ocl36.txt, used on IBM midrange systems like the AS/400 (now IBM i) to manage Accounts Payable (A/P) check printing. Below, I’ll explain the process steps of the program, list any external programs called, and identify tables or files created, destroyed, or read from.

Process Steps of the AP160 OCL Program

The OCL program automates the printing of A/P checks, interacting with various files and printer configurations. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

  1. Initialization and Conditional Execution Check:
  2. The program checks if the parameter ?2? is set to AUTO. If true, it jumps to the AP160 tag, indicating it was called automatically by another procedure (likely AP200).

  3. If not running in AUTO mode, the program proceeds with manual execution.

  4. User Interaction (Pause for Confirmation):

  5. A commented-out PAUSE statement (not currently active) would prompt the user to either cancel the process (by pressing ATTN, 2, ENTER) or continue (by pressing 0, ENTER).

  6. The ATTR INQUIRY-YES,CANCEL-NO suggests an inquiry screen for user confirmation, but it’s not explicitly active in the provided code.

  7. Program Load and File Definitions (TAG AP160):

  8. The program reaches the AP160 tag and loads the AP160 program (likely an RPG or CL program responsible for the core logic).
  9. It defines several files with specific labels and attributes:
    • APPAY (labeled ?9?APPY?WS?): Likely the payment file.
    • AP160S (labeled ?9?APPS?WS?): Possibly a selection or summary file.
    • APCONT (labeled ?9?APCONT, DISP-SHR): A control file, shared access.
    • APPYTR (labeled ?9?APPT?WS?): A transaction file.
    • APVEND (labeled ?9?APVEND, DISP-SHR): Vendor master file, shared access.
    • APOPEN (labeled ?9?APOPEN, DISP-SHR): Open payables file, shared access.
    • APPYCK (labeled ?9?APPC?WS?): Check file.

  10. The ?9? and ?WS? are placeholders for environment-specific prefixes or suffixes (e.g., library or workspace identifiers).

  11. Printer File Overrides:

  12. The program configures printer output for two files: APCHECK (main check output) and CHECKCPY (check copy output).
  13. Conditional overrides are applied based on the value of ?9?:
    • If ?9? is G (likely production environment):
    • APCHECK is directed to the QUSRSYS/APCHECKS output queue.
    • CHECKCPY is directed to the QUSRSYS/APCHKCPY output queue.
    • Both use device type *SCS, 6 lines per inch (LPI), 12 characters per inch (CPI), standard print quality, form type APCK, and are saved after printing.
    • If ?9? is Z (likely test environment):
    • Both APCHECK and CHECKCPY are directed to the QUSRSYS/TESTOUTQ output queue with the same settings.

  14. These overrides ensure checks are printed to the correct printer based on the environment.

  15. Program Execution:

  16. The RUN command executes the AP160 program, which processes the defined files and generates check output.

  17. The RPG program (AP160) likely reads from the vendor, open payables, and payment files, performs calculations (e.g., payment amounts), and writes check data to the APPYCK file and printer files.

  18. Temporary File Creation (Conditional):

  19. If a file named ?9?APPO?WS? exists in the DATAF1 parameter, the program builds a temporary file with the same name using the BLDFILE command.
  20. The file is created with:
    • S (sequential organization).
    • RECORDS (populated with records).
    • Parameters 1,10 (possibly record length or block size).

  21. This temporary file is likely used to store intermediate check printing data, as indicated by the comment --TEMPORARY FILE TO ALLOW CHECK P.

  22. Completion:

  23. After the AP160 program completes, the OCL script ends. Any printed checks are sent to the configured output queues, and temporary files (if created) may persist until explicitly cleared.

List of External Programs Called

  • AP160: The main program loaded and executed by the OCL script. It’s likely an RPG or CL program that handles the core logic for printing A/P checks.
  • AP200 (implied): The comment suggests AP200 may call AP160 in AUTO mode, but it’s not directly called within this script.

No other external programs are explicitly called in the provided OCL code.

Tables or Files Created, Destroyed, or Read From

The OCL program interacts with several files, either by reading, writing, or creating them. Below is a categorized list based on the code and typical A/P check printing processes:

Files Read From:

  • APCONT (?9?APCONT, DISP-SHR): Control file, likely containing configuration or control data for A/P processing (e.g., bank account details).
  • APVEND (?9?APVEND, DISP-SHR): Vendor master file, containing vendor details (e.g., name, address, payment terms).
  • APOPEN (?9?APOPEN, DISP-SHR): Open payables file, listing outstanding invoices to be paid.

Files Read From or Written To:

  • APPAY (?9?APPY?WS?): Payment file, likely containing selected payments to be processed into checks.
  • AP160S (?9?APPS?WS?): Selection or summary file, possibly used to store temporary data during processing.
  • APPYTR (?9?APPT?WS?): Transaction file, likely used to log payment transactions.
  • APPYCK (?9?APPC?WS?): Check file, where check details (e.g., check number, amounts) are written.

Files Created:

  • ?9?APPO?WS? (conditional): A temporary file is created if BLDFILE is triggered for ?9?APPO?WS?. This file is used for check processing and is marked as temporary.

Files Destroyed:

  • No files are destroyed in the provided code. Temporary files like ?9?APPO?WS? may be cleared by other processes outside this script, but this isn’t explicitly shown.

Printer Output Files:

  • APCHECK: Printer file for main checks, directed to an output queue (APCHECKS or TESTOUTQ).
  • CHECKCPY: Printer file for check copies, directed to an output queue (APCHKCPY or TESTOUTQ).

Notes and Assumptions

  • Placeholders: The ?9? and ?WS? are variables resolved at runtime, representing library names, typically representing names, company codes, or workspace identifiers. Without specific values, I’ve described their general purpose.
  • Commented Code: The commented-out code (e.g., PAUSE, initial display) suggests optional user interaction, which may be enabled in certain conditions or older versions.
  • RPG Logic: The actual check printing logic (e.g., calculations, formatting) is in AP160, which isn’t provided. My analysis focuses on the OCL orchestration.
  • Temporary File Scope: The BLDFILE creates a temporary file, but its lifecycle (e.g., deletion) isn’t shown here. It’s likely cleared by a cleanup job.

If you have the AP160 RPG source or additional context (e.g., file schemas, specific ?9? values), I can provide deeper insights into the data flow or logic. Let me know if you’d like me to analyze related content or search for more information!