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.

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.