Creating a format description file

If you are moving data to an existing database file definition on the system, the Data Transfer to IBM i application requires you to use an associated format description file (FDF).

An FDF file describes the format of a stream file, and is created by the Data Transfer from IBM i application when data is transferred from a database file to a stream file.

To create a .FDF file:

  1. Create an externally described database file with a format that matches your source stream file (number of fields, types of data).
  2. Create one temporary data record within the database file.
  3. Use the Data Transfer from IBM i function to create a stream file and its associated .FDF file from this database file.

    Now, you can use the Data Transfer to IBM i function. Specify this .FDF file with the source stream file that you want to transfer.