How to upload and install a save file to System i (AS/400)

© Copyright 2003-2009 by Robert Cozzi, Jr.

To install or restore a library on a System i from a save file stored on a PC, Mac or other operating system, you first need to extract he save file from its ZIP container.

To extract a file from a ZIP file, use Windows Explorer or WinZip or whatever is used on other operating systems, and extract the enclosed .FILE or .SAVF file stored in the ZIP file.

For illustration purposes, the library name we are restoring (in this example) is named RPGOPEN.

The file RPGOPEN.FILE is extracted from the Save file named RPGOPEN.ZIP

Before transferring the save file to your System i, the save file with the same name must exist on the target System i. Sign on to the System i and go to a Command Entry display or command line window.

On the System i run the following CL command to create the save file.

	CRTSAVF  SAVF(QGPL/RPGOPEN)

If the FTP server is NOT running on your system, start it by issuing the following CL command:

	STRTCPSVR  *FTP

On your PC (any PC platform should work)

• Start FTP and connect to the System i:

	FTP  myhost.domain.com

/*  Where myhost.domain.com is the name of the System i. Note that some systems require the IP address instead of the name.  */

• Enter your FTP user ID and Password when prompted (it will be the same as your System i User ID and Password).
• On the PC, run the following FTP commands:

	quote site namefmt 1

	cd /qsys.lib/qgpl.lib

At this point the System i naming convention is established and the QGPL library is set to the current library.

Now you need to determine where the save file is located on the PC. A good place to store this type of file is in a directory named C:\TEMP or something similar since shorter directory names are easier to work with in FTP.

If you haven't already done so, make sure the RPGOPEN.FILE file is extracted from the RPGOPEN.ZIP file is stored in a known directory on your PC.

Now change the local directory on the PC to the one containing the RPGOPEN.FILE file, for example: (Your directory will probably be different)

	lcd  "c:\my documents\downloads

Next you need to tell FTP to transfer the file "as is" or unmodified. This is called "binary mode" in FTP. If you skip this step the save file's data may be corrupted.

Change FTP to binary mode:

	BINARY

You are now ready to begin the transfer. Remember, save files often be several megabytes so the upload may take a few minutes.

Enter the following FTP command to send the save file to the System i:

	PUT  RPGOPEN.file 

NOTE: If the file is named RPGOPEN.SAVF then issue the following FTP command:

	PUT  RPGOPEN.savf 

This command will start the transfer. Depending on the FTP software you're using you may or may not see a status message indicating the progress.

After a successful FTP transfer, you should end the FTP session:.

Enter the following FTP command:

	QUIT

On some PC platforms, the BYE command is used instead of QUIT. If the QUIT command fails, issue the BYE command as follows:

	BYE

The following steps are to be performed on the host System i.

On the System i enter the following CL command:

	RSTLIB SAVLIB(RPGOPEN) DEV(*SAVF)  SAVF(QGPL/RPGOPEN) FRCOBJCVN(*YES)

You may restore the library to another library name if necessary.

At this point RPGOPEN for IBM i is installed and ready to go on your System i.

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