IMS Version 9 JDBC Enhancements IMS Version 9 has the following enhancements to the IMS JDBC Connector:  Remote database services
With IMS Java remote database services, you can develop and deploy applications that run on non-z/OS platforms and access IMS databases remotely. Unlike other Java solutions for IMS, you do not need to develop a z/OS application or access a legacy z/OS application to have access to IMS data. Therefore, IMS Java is an ideal solution for IMS application development in a WebSphere environment.
XML storage and retrieval in IMS databases
Because XML and IMS databases are both hierarchical, IMS Version 9 is a natural DBMS for managing XML documents. IMS Version 9 will allow you to easily receive and store incoming XML documents as well as compose XML documents from existing, legacy information stored in IMS databases.
GSAM database support for JBP regions
With APAR PQ93785/UQ93241, JBP applications can process GSAM databases. This support, along with symbolic checkpoint and restart support for JBP applications, gives JBP applications more of the functionality of BMP applications. GSAM databases are useful if you need a JBP application that accesses z/OS data sets to use the IMS symbolic checkpoint call. Because GSAM databases are supported in a DCCTL environment, you can also use them when a JBP application needs to process sequential non-IMS data sets. From a JBP application, you can open, read, write, and close a GSAM database. There are three new IMS Java classes for processing GSAM databases: com.ibm.ims.db.GSAMConnection, com.ibm.ims.db.GSAMRecord, and com.ibm.ims.application.RSA. See the IMS Java API Specification for details on these classes.
Symbolic checkpoint and restart support for JBP regions
Similarly to BMP applications, JBP applications can use symbolic checkpoint and restart calls to restart the application after an abend. The primary methods for symbolic checkpoint and restart are: - IMSTransaction().checkpoint()
- IMSTransaction().restart()
These methods perform analogous functions to the DL/I system service calls: (symbolic) CHKP and XRST. A JBP application connects to a database, makes a restart call, performs database processing, periodically checkpoints, and disconnects from the database at the end of the program. The program must issue a final commit before ending. On an initial application start, the IMSTransaction().restart() method notifies IMS that symbolic checkpoint and restart is to be enabled for the application. The application then issues periodic IMSTransaction().checkpoint() calls to take checkpoints. The IMSTransaction().checkpoint() method allows the application to provide a com.ibm.ims.application.SaveArea object that contains one or more other application Java objects whose state is to be saved with the checkpoint. If a restart is required, it is initiated in a similar way to BMP applicatoins: the checkpoint ID is provided either with the IMSTransaction().restart() call (similar to providing the id to the XRST call in IMS), or with in the CKPTID= parameter of the JBP region JCL. The method returns a object that contains the application objects in the same order in which they were originally checkpointed.
SQL search support for non-DBD-defined fields
With APAR PQ97361/UQ95771, the SQL WHERE clause restriction that limits searchable fields to only DBD-defined fields is being removed. With this enhancement, you can use sub-fields that are defined by a COBOL copybook or the DLIModel utility in a WHERE clause. This enhancement is useful when you have broken a large field that is defined in the DBD into smaller sub-fields. The following rules apply when you use sub-fields in an SQL WHERE clause: - All sub-fields must be in the WHERE clause.
- All subfields must be listed in the WHERE clause with AND operators. OR operators are not allowed.
- All sub-fields must be listed together (like how all fields in a segment must be listed together), but these sub-fields can be listed in any order.
- The only comparison operator allowed is "=".
- The field must be totally filled by sub-fields, and the sub-fields must not overrun the bounds of the field.
| 
