Overview of DB2 Template Editor

The DB2 Template Editor offers various options for creating new templates and editing existing templates for use with the File Manager® DB2 editor. Templates improve the functionality of the File Manager® editor by providing a particular interpretation of records stored in a DB2 object. The DB2 Template Editor allows you to specify what that interpretation is by providing the tools necessary to easily create and modify templates. Having this functionality gives you additional control over the way you interact with your data. The Template Editor provides a similar level of editing functionality as is available in File Manager® DB2. For more information about the IBM File Manager ISPF DB2 template editor, see the IBM File Manager® for z/OS® User's Guide and Reference for DB2 Data.

Invoking DB2 Template Editor

You can invoke the DB2 template editor by selecting a node which represents a DB2 object or a DB2 object query, and bringing up the context menu. You should find Template Editor in the context menu when the selected item is appropriate to invoke the DB2 template editor. When you select to invoke the DB2 template editor, it brings up DB2 Template Editor Options dialog (see the image below).

DB2 Template Editor Options Dialog
DB2 Template Editor Options Dialog Image

You need to specify the following information:

DB2 Template Editor tabs

The template editor consists of two tabs which are described below.

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Layout tab

The layout tab presents the column information of the currently selected DB2 object. Using this tab, you can specify various information about the template as follows:

Layout tab
DB2 Template Editor Layout Tab Image

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By-Field Criteria Builder

This dialog helps you to construct criteria which can be used as identification, selection, or related identification criteria.

DB2 By-field criteria editor
DB2 By-field criteria editor Image

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Criteria Builder (free format)

This dialog allows you to write a criteria expression yourself. The dialog presents field information about the currently selected layout to assist you in writing the criteria expression.

You can double-click on a field in the table to insert the corresponding field number in the expression. You can also press Ctrl + Space to bring up the context assist which gives you a list of fields with description.

NOTE: Since the free-format criteria is more expressive than the by-field expression, free-format criteria and by-field criteria are not interchangeable.

Criteria editor (free-format)
DB2 Free criteria editor Image

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Information tab

The information tab presents some basic information about the template such as creation, modification date of the template and DB2 object information. In addition, you can specify description of the template.

Information tab
DB2 Template Editor Information Tab Image

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