Large Object (LB) field on Mainframe ADABAS

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1

I currently have a Mainframe application that allows transactions to be keyed into a Natural for Mainframe application and saved on an ADABAS file. The transactions are usually hand written on a standard paper form during the month (approx. 400/mth). At the end of the month the form is signed with two signatures. Transactions are keyed from the form into the Mainframe App. The form is then copied and sent to two departments, via E-mail, Fax or interoffice mail. The two offices print copies and file the copies for future reference. The keyed transactions go on for further processing.

I would like to develop an application that allows the user to store an image of the form in a Large Object field on a LOB ADABAS file after the form has the two required signatures.

  1. Can an Image of a Form be stored in a LB field on a Mainframe ADABAS LOB file?
  2. Can LBs and regular fields be on the same file? (Somehow a descriptor would need to be on the new ADABAS file. That way a Relationship of one-to-many with the ADABAS file containing the transaction records could be setup.)
  3. If the above is possible, are there instructions, documentation, or examples of how to populate such a LB field/LOB file and how to relate the one file to the other? Would a “READ WORK” file or FTP be used to load the Image?

If a file like this can be setup then I could write a Natural for AJAX application to easily view the image and its related transaction records, then the original form would be the only hardcopy document needed.
:?

2

Yes

Yes and No :wink:
LOBs are stored on a separate file which is logically “linked” to the “base file”. But to the outside world it appears as “one file”.

When you’ve got NJX then use the file upload control, and either store it as an image or, which I’d prefer, as a PDF.

3

Thanks,
I found documentation that says a field with a type of ‘LB’ on a base file stores a binary value that points to a Large Object file were the LB field value, the actual document, is stored. Thus the logical Link you pointed out.
:slight_smile:

Without the use of NJX, how would a PDF document be loaded? :?

4

I haven’t done this with NJX but I do have it working with Natural for Windows. Essentially it’s

DEFINE DATA LOCAL
1 #PDF (A) DYNAMIC
1 ADA   VIEW your-file
  2 LOB-name

DEFINE WORK FILE nn 'file-name.pdf' TYPE 'UNFORMATTED'
READ WORK nn ONCE #PDF
ASSIGN LOB-name = #PDF
STORE ADA

This would work on a Windows/Linux/Unix machine with a local or remote (via Net-Work) Adabas instance. You will need to define the database as type ADA2 to tell Natural to use ACBX calls.

I believe you could run something similar on a mainframe with Natural Connection retrieving the PDF from your local machine.