iBridge: Cross platform content management for IBMi generated spool files

Enables *SCS spooled file content to be migrated from the IBMi to alternative platforms such as Windows or a Unix Server, transformed to PDF, RTF , TXT conversion formats.

Once the file ibridge.zip has been downloaded to your workstation, use a unzip utility to extract the file, ibridge to your root directory c:\.
From the iSeries, log in as security officer, create a library, a save file, and start the FTP server.

 
CRTLIB IBRIDGE
CRTSAVF QGPL/IBRIDGE
STRTCPSVR *FTP

From Windows select 'Start', and choose 'Run'. When the run window appears, type 'Command' and press enter. After the DOS session displays, issue the command script shown below:

 
C:\>CD\
C:\>FTP 
FTP> username: 
FTP> password: 
FTP> bin
FTP put c:\ibridge qgpl/ibridge
FTP> quit
C:\>exit 

Returning to the iSeries session with the security offer user profile, issue the next command to restore the library from the save file.

 
RSTLIB SAVLIB(IBRIDGE) DEV(*SAVF) SAVF(*QGPL/IBRIDGE) MBROPT(*ALL) ALWOBJDIR(*ALL) RSTLIB(IBRIDGE)

iBridge has now been installed. Next the unlock software code needs to be installed. Type the following commands to enter the unlock code assigned:

 
ADDLIBLE IBRIDGE
GO IBRIDGE

the following menu appears. Select option 10 and when prompted enter the permanent or temporary license provided by your account manager. Once entered, the status of the license code will be reported. If the code has been entered correctly, iBridge is now ready to use.

iBridge can be administered from the below menu:

 IBRIDGE               iBridge Report Distribution System                       
                                                                                
   iBridge Administration                                                       
      1. Schedule iBridge out queue capture             SCDQQC                  
      2. Put Queue                                      MPUTQ                   
      3. Print Distribution Log                         IBRIDGELOG              
      4. Run iBridge API                                IBRIDGE                 
                                                                                
   iBridge Registration                                                         
     10. License iBridge                                LICQQC                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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 Selection                                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
 F1=Help   F3=Exit   F12=Cancel                                                 

Schedule an iBridge Job. Enables all the spooled files from a single output queue to be migrated from the iSeries, converted to text, and moved to an alternative platform such as a Windows or a Unix Server. This user interface utilizes the IBMi job scheduler enabling the API MPUTQ to be run at a specific time every day.

                          Schedule iBridge Job (SCDQQC)                         
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 Put output queue . . . . . . . .                 Name                          
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       Name, *LIBL                   
 Archive output queue . . . . . .                 Name                          
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       Name, *LIBL                   
 Target Path (Default Assigned)     ' '                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 MPUTQ Scheduled Time . . . . . .   '18:45:00'    00:00:01-24:00:00             
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys 

Put Queue Entries to Network. Provides the means to move the contents of an entire output queue to an alternative platform.

                      Put Queue Entries to Network (MPUTQ)                      
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 Put output queue . . . . . . . .   QPRINT        Name                          
   LIBRARY  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       Name, *LIBL, *CURLIB          
 Archive output queue . . . . . .   ARCHIVE       Name, *NONE                   
   LIBRARY  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       Name, *LIBL, *CURLIB          
 Target Path (Default Assigned)     ' '                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 FTP Host (Default Assigned)  . .   '192.168.0.105'                             
                                                                                
 User Name (Default Assigned) . .   'ISERIESCLIENT'                             
                                                                                
 User  Pass (Default Assigned)  .   'ISERIESCLIENT'                             
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys 

• Put output queue/library: The location of the library to be migrated from the iSeries to the alternative platform.
• Archive output queue/library: The queue that will receive the spooled files once transferred to the alternative platform.
• Target path (Default Assigned): Specifies the subdirectory path that will receive the converted spooled files. If this isn't specified the default path will be used.
• FTP Host (Default Assigned):Contains the IP address of the alternative server that wil receive the spooled files converted to text.
• User Name (Default Assigned): This will contain the established user name configured on the alternative server.
• User Pass (Default Assigned): This parameter requests that password of the above user profile. For security reasons, when entering this value, the displayed value remains blank. In some instances the password on the alternative system may need to be changed to all upper case to accommodate a translation anomaly.

Print Distribution log. Provides a spooled transfer file log in the users output queue. Sample report appears below.

                              Display Spooled File                              
 File  . . . . . :   QPQUPRFIL                        Page/Line   1/6           
 Control . . . . .                                    Columns     1 - 78        
 Find  . . . . . .                                                              
 *...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+... 
 08/16/18  20:28:48                                         iBridge             
                                                            Detail Transfer Rep 
 Transfer    Transfer  (S)uccess  Transfer                                      
 Date        Time      (E)rror    File                                          
 2005-05-02  16.01.35      S      QSYSPRT1131640001.txt                         
 2005-05-02  16.01.35      S      QSYSPRT1153600005.txt                         
 2005-05-02  16.01.35      S      QSYSPRT1166120002.txt                         
 2005-05-02  16.01.34      S      QSYSPRT1116820001.txt                         
 2005-05-02  15.56.16      S      QSYSPRT1116820001.txt                         
 2005-05-02  15.56.16      S      QSYSPRT1131640001.txt                         
 2005-05-02  15.56.16      S      QSYSPRT1153600005.txt                         
 2005-05-02  15.56.16      S      QSYSPRT1166120002.txt                         
 2005-04-28  13.10.19      S      QPJOBLOG1201950001.txt                        
 2005-04-28  13.10.19      S      QPJOBLOG1201960001.txt                        
 2005-04-28  13.10.19      S      QPJOBLOG1201480001.txt                        
 2005-04-28  13.10.19      S      QPJOBLOG1201490001.txt                        
                                                                        More... 
 F3=Exit   F12=Cancel   F19=Left   F20=Right   F24=More keys                    

Provides the means to explicitly move a single spooled file from the iSeries to an alternate platform and includes a conversion format as text, rich text and PDF. There is a total of 3 screens on this command. Page Up/Down to display all of the screens on the command.

                       iBridge Spool to Network (IBRIDGE)                       
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 Configure FTP  . . . . . . . . .   *FTP          Character value, *FTP...      
 Printer file name  . . . . . . .                 Name                          
 Job name . . . . . . . . . . . .                 Name, *                       
   User . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 Name                          
   Number . . . . . . . . . . . .                 000000-999999                 
 Spooled file number  . . . . . .                 1-999999, *LAST               
 Archive output queue . . . . . .                 Name                          
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       Name, *LIBL                   
 Delete spooled file  . . . . . .   *NO           Character value, *NO, *YES    
 Ifs Path File  . . . . . . . . .                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                        More... 
 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys                                                                  

• Configure FTP: *FTP *FTPS *SFTP.
• Printer file name: The name of the iSeries printer file.
• Job Name/User/Number:iSeries job name, user and job file number. If the spooled file is from the current job, enter the default value of *. Other wise explicitly enter the job name associated with the spooled file. If * isn't specified for the Job Name, then enter the explicit user name and job number associated with the spool file.
• Spooled file number: iSeries spool file number. If only the last spooled file is requested, accept the default value, other wise enter the explicit spooled file number.
• Archive output queue/Library): The queue that will receive the spooled files once transferred to the alternative system. If this isn't specified the spooled file will remain in its current queue, unless it has been marked for deletion with the following parameter value.
• Delete spooled file:Deletes or preserves the spooled file once it has been moved. A *YES value overrides a value entered in the archive output queue parameter.
• IFS Path file:Specifies the subdirectory path and file that will receive the IFS file instead of a spool file. If unspecified the default path will be used.

                       iBridge Spool to Network (IBRIDGE)                       
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 Archive Directory  . . . . . . .                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 Delete Ifs file  . . . . . . . .   *NO           Character value, *NO, *YES    
 Remote Target Directory  . . . .                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 Remote Target File . . . . . . .                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 Conversion type  . . . . . . . .   *PDF          Character value, *PDF...      
 FTP Host (Default Assigned)  . .   '192.168.0.105'                             
                                                                                
                                                                        More... 
 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys                                                                  
                                                                                

• Archive Directory: The subdirectory that will receive the IFS files once transferred to the alternative system.
• Delete Ifs file: Deletes or preserves the IFS file once it has been moved.
• Remote Target Directory: The subdirectory of the alternative system.
• Remote Target File: File name as specified in alternative system.
• Conversion type: *PDF, *TXT, *RTF. Only used for spool files, converting spool file to specified format.
• FTP Host: Remote host address.

                       iBridge Spool to Network (IBRIDGE)                       
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 User Name (Default Assigned) . .   'ISERIESCLIENT'                             
                                                                                
 User  Pass (Default Assigned)  .                                               
                                                                                
 SFTP Additional Parameters . . .   '-o IdentityFile=.ssh/id_rsa'               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys                                                                  

• User Name: User name for FTP/FTPS protocol.
• User Pass: Password for FTP/FTPS protocol.
• SFTP Additional Parameters: Additional options required for SFTP protocol such as: PubkeyAuthentication, IdentityFile… etc.

License iBridge. Provides a method for adding the product licence unlock key as shown below. Enter the permanent or temporary license provided.

                                License (LICQQC)                                
                                                                                
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                                
 Enter License Key  . . . . . . .                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                         Bottom 
 F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F12=Cancel   F13=How to use this display    
 F24=More keys