Preventing errors when copying files

You can prevent many copy errors when you plan for certain conditions and situations ahead of time.

Limitation of recoverable errors during copy
When you copy to or from a database file or from a tape file, you can limit the number of recoverable errors that you accept before the copy ends. Use the ERRLVL parameter to specify this limit.
Prevention of date, time, and timestamp errors when copying files
For FMTOPT(*MAP), FROMKEY with *BLDKEY, TOKEY with *BLDKEY, and INCREL parameters, 2-digit year-date fields or values will be assumed to have a century of 19 if the year is in the range from 40 to 99, or a century of 20 if the year is in the range from 00 to 39.
Prevention of position errors when copying files
When the copy file function cannot locate the first record to copy in the from-file member, a position error occurs.
Prevention of allocation errors when copying files
The IBM i operating system places locks on the from-file and the to-file when you copy files. To prevent allocation errors when copying files, you can place stronger locks on those files.
Prevention of copy errors that result from constraint relationships
A constraint relationship is a mechanism to ensure data integrity between a dependent file and a parent file. You need to pay attention to the constraint relationship when copying files.
Copy operation on files not in check-pending status
When the parent or dependent file has an established constraint relationship that is not in check-pending status, the rules described in this topic apply.
Copy operation on files in check-pending status
When the parent or dependent file has an established constraint relationship that is in check-pending status, the rules described in this topic apply.
Prevention of copy errors related to your authority to files
The table in this topic summarizes the authority that is required for the from-file and the to-file.

Parent topic: Performance

Related concepts

Printing records (PRINT, OUTFMT, and TOFILE(*PRINT) parameters)