Determining how to display your data

Once you have determined the mode for accessing your database and whether you will use a view or not, you then need to determine your starting position within the database and the initial display format to be used. Your starting position can be determined using the Database Positioning panel and, if required, this can be further refined using the Key Specification panel. Segments prior to the specified starting position are not displayed on the IMS data panel. The display format is initially set on the Database Positioning panel, but can also be changed from within the IMS data panel.

The tasks and concepts described in this section are:

• Setting your initial display format
• How FM/IMS finds a position in the database
• Determining your starting position via the Database Positioning panel
• Determining your starting position via the Key Specification panel