IBM Support

Access Client Solutions Data Transfer Migration tool does not create .FDFX file

Question & Answer


Question

The IBM i Access Client Solutions product has a data transfer migration tool.  It converts older IBM i Access for Windows data transfer requests (typically having file extensions of DTT and DTF) to the new format (with file extensions of DTTX and DTFX). To perform the migration, open the IBM i Access Client Solutions data transfer function and press CTRL+M, click ADD, select your old transfer requests, select the output directory for the new requests, and press the OK button.  Data transfer uploads usually require a separate field description file. These files have a file extension of FDF for the older format and FDFX in the new format. These files are NOT converted or created by the data transfer migration tool. The new FDFX files must be created the same way they were created on the original IBM i Access for Windows product. A download transfer must be performed by the IBM i Access Client Solutions data transfer function to create the FDFX file.

Answer

Clients that have data transfer upload requests need to create new data transfer downloads in order to create the new style FDFX file.

Following are instructions on creating an FDFX file description file:

1. Open Data Transfer from the main IBM i Access Client Solutions interface and on the tab "From IBM i" enter values for the parameters. The IBM i file name is usually the file you want to upload data to, or it can be a file with the same field layout as the file you want to upload to. Following is an example:



2.  Click the Details button.

For the file type, select the file type from the drop-down that matches the type of PC file you plan to upload to the IBM i. The options are:

Comma-separated values (.csv)
Tab-delimited text (.txt)
Text (.txt)
Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
Microsoft Excel 97-2003 (.xls)
OpenOffice (.ods)
Dos Random (.dsr)

Under Client file description, check the box to Save client file description. Specify a path and name for the fdfx file.

You can take the defaults for the rest of the parameters in this window.

Here is an example of the File Details pane:

image-20220916165214-2

Click OK to return to the main transfer pane.

3.  Click the 'Data Options' button and add 1=0 to the Where clause (to prevent the pc data file from being created...you don't want or need that file).

image-20190306154221-1

4.  Click the Start Transfer button to download the IBM i file and create the fdfx file.

You get the message:

Click OK on the message to create the fdfx file without an unnecessary PC data file.

The Field Description File contents are similar between IBM i Access for Windows and IBM i Access Client Solutions, but not identical.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

[{"Product":{"code":"SWG60","label":"IBM i"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Component":"Access Client Solutions","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"Version Independent","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB57","label":"Power"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
16 September 2022

UID

nas8N1021168