Edit Data Area Utility (editda)

The Edit Data Area utility (editda) is a command line tool for managing some aspects of data areas. This includes creating new data areas and data IDs and performing routine metadata changes for data areas in a product line. The utility has two components: a command with associated parameters, and a directives file that specifies the changes made by the utility.

Use editda to manage the following data area attributes:

  • Add a data area or data ID.

  • Assign a database space to a data area.

  • Specify a default database space for a system code.

  • Specify an initial record count and a record count increment for a file.

  • Enable log changes (used for the Resource Management and Upgrade While Active products).

  • Enable or disable varchars.

After you use the editda utility, run blddbdict and dbreorg to implement the changes.

Variable Length Character Strings (Varchars)

Enable varchars for all non-indexed columns in a table or for all columns in a table, indexed or non-indexed. By default, varchars are disabled. The editda utility enables varchars on a table-by-table basis. Once varchars are enabled, trailing spaces are truncated for eligible strings.

IBM DB2 specifies varchars for long strings even if varchars have not been enabled for Lawson data. However, string length varies only if you enable varchars in Lawson.

Note: Do not use varchars for tables that are updated frequently, because doing so could cause performance problems. Instead, use varchars for tables with static data in character (char) fields.