Exporting and importing objects

You can write applications that issue QMF EXPORT and IMPORT commands to place objects outside of the QMF environment.

Your applications can export tables and the following QMF objects:
  • DATA
  • QUERY
  • PROC
  • FORM
  • REPORT
  • CHART

When you export objects except reports or objects that are in CSV format, QMF converts the object to an externalized format. QMF stores the externalized format of the object in a UNIX file (in the case of data or tables only), a TSO data set, or a CICS® data queue. The externalized format of QMF objects is a powerful element of QMF application development.

The IMPORT command reads the externalized format and places the object either in QMF temporary storage or in the database. The location depends on how you issue the command.