Managing the prefix area

The prefix area displays line numbers that represent the row number in the Db2® table or view being edited.

The prefix area also doubles as the prefix command entry area. You enter prefix commands by overtyping the row number for the appropriate row.

You can use prefix commands to:

Insert or delete rows
Repeat (duplicate) rows
Move rows
Shift data
Limit the data being edited

In a File Manager/Db2 editor session, to see which prefix commands are valid for the current environment, enter an "?" in the prefix area (against any listed line). FM/Db2 displays a list of the line commands you can enter, like those shown in Using the ? prefix command to display a list of valid prefix commands.

Figure 1. Using the ? prefix command to display a list of valid prefix commands

  Process   Options   Utilities   Help
                     FM/Db2 Available Edit Prefix Commands
                                                                    More:     +
 Prefix commands

 You can enter the following commands in the prefix area of the data display:

 A     identifies the record after which data is to be moved or copied.

 B     identifies the record before which data is to be moved or copied.

 C     copy one record.
 Cn    copy n records.
 CC    copy block of records. Mark start and end of block.

 D     delete one record.
 Dn    delete n records.
 DD    delete block of records. Mark start and end of block.

 E     displays information about why Db2 rejected the change to a row

 F     display the first record of a block of excluded records.
 Command ===>                                                                  
  F1=Help      F2=Split     F3=Exit      F4=CRetriev  F7=Backward  F8=Forward
  F9=Swap     F10=Actions  F12=Cancel

In a File Manager/Db2 editor session, you can choose whether a prefix area is displayed next to the data or not.

To specify the default position and display state of the prefix area for all FM/Db2 editor sessions, set these editor options on the relevant Editor Options panel (0.2):

Display prefix area
Display prefix area on the right
Prefix area width (A,6,7,8,9)

To specify the default position and display state of the prefix area for the current FM/Db2 editor session, use the PREFIX primary command. For example:

To display the prefix area on the right, enter PREFIX RIGHT.
To display the prefix area as an 8-digit field, enter PREFIX 8.
To display the prefix area with a width that automatically adjusts (from 6 to 9 digits wide) in order to display the record number, enter PREFIX A.
To remove the display of the prefix area, enter PREFIX OFF.

Related references

PREFIX primary command