IBM i General Design Standards › Design Standards for Display Files › Subfile Design

Subfile Design

Subfiles normally should be used wherever there is a repeating data structure, especially if the number of repeating groups is likely to exceed a full page. Remember the following when designing for subfile use:

• Although up to twelve subfiles can be active at a time, try to program to use only one (apart from a message subfile) as this simplifies programming—and the user interface.
• On subfiles, any column for selection values should be on the left hand side of the display.
• Positioning and subsetting values should be shown at the top.