Administrator Tip: Check constraint lets database admins sleep better at night

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Title: Administrator Tips

December 22, 2004 Published by  Search400.com    Administrator Tips Issue Sponsored By:   > Data Center Decisions IN THIS ISSUE:   >  Check constraint allows database admins to sleep a bit better at night   >  The ins and outs of using constraints   >  Name that constraint   >  Disable all constraints in a library   >  Make your database easy to read   >  Celebrate the festivities IT-style   >  Whoops! I can't believe I did that! Check constraint allows database admins to sleep a bit better at night [Search400.com] by Ron Turull One of the most important database features for database administrators is the check constraint. It allows you to easily define the valid values for a field at the physical file level. No longer do you have to fiddle with triggers and trigger programs or application code. You can now easily prevent errant programs from writing invalid data to a field with a simple constraint.   Attend Data Center Decisions 2005 Join us in New York for Data Center Decisions 2005. Learn about the latest technologies for the data center, get top advice from industry experts & win a new Mercedes SLK. Register today!   The ins and outs of using constraints [Search400.com] Want more information about constraints? Let's take a closer look at them, what they are and how you define them. Name that constraint [Search400.com] There is one annoying detail with using Referential Integrity in RPG programs. A constraint violation is notified as a file I/O error, but it does not identify which constraint caused the problem. Paul Tuohy discusses how you can fix that. Disable all constraints in a library [Search400.com] When refreshing his development database with "live" production data, Search400.com member David Ford always has to disable all the referential constraints before copying in the data. To facilitate this process, he created the following CL program, which changes the status on all constraints in the specified library to *DISABLED. Make your database easy to read [Search400.com] Let's take a quick look at making your database easier for users to read. By creating simple data marts and using SQL views, you can make your production data understandable for user reporting. IT'S FREE!:  iSeries freeware and shareware guide Here you'll find a number of useful tools that can be used as is or customized to create your own tools. We've saved you the time of searching the Web and have gathered some really good links for you to check out. Who says there's no such thing as free? Check out this great resource today. Have you come across freeware that we don't have listed here? Shoot us an e-mail and we'll add it to the library. Don't forget to bookmark this page as it will be updated frequently. HOLIDAY TRIVIA:  Celebrate the festivities IT-style 'Tis the holiday season! We've made a list and checked it each week. Now we're gonna find out who's naughty, who's nice... and who's a real holiday geek! Here's a festive sample of holiday IT terms with tantalizing clues. If you're a holiday-oriented geek, why not give it a try. SHARE YOUR ISERIES BLOOPER:  Whoops! I can't believe I did that! We've all been there at one time or another, having to explain how or why on Earth we did something so stupid. And when it comes to working with your iSeries, I'm sure you all have one or two blooper stories to share. So, what do you say? Care to share your biggest goof-up of the year? Your goof-up just might win you a prize. That's right, the person who sends in the "whopper of all whoops" will win a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. Don't delay. Don't be shy. Claim your fame before Monday, Dec. 27, and you could be our winner. Remember: By sharing your tale, you'll help other iSeries users avoid the same mistakes.   Contact Us Sales For sales inquiries, please contact us at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Editorial For feedback about any of our articles or to send us your article ideas, please contact us at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]     Free E-Newsletters! Select e-newsletters you would like to receive via e-mail!  Search400: Programmer Tips  Search400: Security Tip  Search400: Top Expert Advice Not a Member? We'll activate your membership with your subscription.   This e-newsletter is published by Search400.com, a targeted Web site from TechTarget, the most targeted IT media and events company. To unsubscribe from "Administrator Tips": Go to unsubscribe: http://search400.techtarget.com/unsubscribe?cid=499974&lid=430676&track=NL-176&ad=499974 Please note, unsubscribe requests may take up to 24 hours to process; you may receive additional mailings during that time. A confirmation e-mail will be sent when your request has been successfully processed. Contact Us: Search400 Member Services 117 Kendrick Street, Suite 800 Needham, MA 02494