Viewing and changing Db2® data

To view the contents of a Db2® table or view, use the FM/Db2 View Utility (option 1), the FM/Db2 Edit Utility (option 2), or the FM/Db2 Browse Utility (option B).

The following instructions are given in the context of the FM/Db2 editor. In most cases you can perform these actions in View, Edit, or Browse, in which case the term "editor" is used. Similarly, the term "FM/Db2 editor session" can indicate either a View editor session, an Edit editor session, or a Browse editor session.

FM/Db2 View Utility

The FM/Db2 View Utility (option 1) allows you to view and temporarily change data, but without the ability to save any changes.

When you initiate the FM/Db2 editor with the View Utility, this is referred to as being in a "View editor session" (or just "View").

The FM/Db2 View Utility, similar to ISPF view, provides a File Manager/Db2 editor session that works essentially the same as the Edit Utility. It presents you with an interface that is capable of holding your temporary changes to data. This may be useful, for example, for assessing a change but without any risk of altering live data. The first time you make a change to the data in a View editor session, FM/Db2 displays the following warning: 
Save is not possible in a View session. Use Edit if you want to be able to
save changes.

When you exit from a View editor session by pressing the Exit function key (F3), if you have made a change to the data in the FM/Db2 editor session, FM/Db2 displays a warning as shown in Warning displayed when exiting from a View session after data changes.

Figure 1. Warning displayed when exiting from a View session after data changes
  Process   Options   Utilities   Help
 ─ ┌─────────────────────── View Warning ────────────────────────┐ ─────────────
 F │                                                             │    Top of 42
 T │          You are currently in Data View mode:               │  Format TABL
   │                                                             │ O HIREDATE
   │ Press Enter to confirm exit from View.  No changes will be  │   #7
   │ saved.                                                      │   DATE
   │                                                             │   <---+---->
 * │ Enter the END or EXIT command to return to View.            │
 0 │                                                             │   01.01.1965
 0 │                                                             │   10.10.1973
 0 │ Command ===>                                                │   05.04.1975
 0 │  F1=Help        F2=Split       F3=Exit        F7=Backward   │   17.08.1949
 0 │  F8=Forward     F9=Swap       F12=Cancel                    │   14.09.1973
 0 └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   30.09.1980
 000007 000090 EILEEN<      W       HENDERSON<      E11      5498    15.08.1970
 000008 000100 THEODORE<    Q       SPENSER<        E21      0972    19.06.1980
 000009 000110 VINCENZO<    G       LUCCHESI<       A00      3490    16.05.1958
 Command ===>                                                       Scroll PAGE
  F1=Help      F2=Zoom      F3=Exit      F4=CRetriev  F5=RFind     F6=RChange
  F7=Up        F8=Down      F9=Swap     F10=Left     F11=Right    F12=Cancel

FM/Db2 Edit Utility

The FM/Db2 Edit Utility (option 2) allows you to view and change your data (by inserting, deleting and otherwise modifying the contents of a Db2® table or view), and save any changes you make.

When you initiate the FM/Db2 editor with the Edit Utility, this is referred to as being in an "Edit editor session" (or just "Edit").

FM/Db2 Browse Utility

The FM/Db2 Browse Utility1 (option B) allows you to view data, but without the ability to save any changes.

When you start up the FM/Db2 editor in browse mode, this is referred to as being in a "Browse editor session" (or just "Browse").

To start up a Browse editor session, perform one of these actions:
  • From the Primary Option Menu panel, enter the B command.
  • When you are in a File Manager/Db2 editor session, enter the BROWSE command.
  • From a list of Db2® objects, where it is legitimate to do so, enter the B command.

When you start up a Browse editor session, FM/Db2 displays the Db2® Browse entry panel.

Related references

1 For consistency with ISPF, the FM/Db2 Browse utility does not appear on the FM/Db2 main menu. You can, however, select the FM/Db2 Browse utility by typing the B command.