Documents stored in a CA Dispatch repository must be self-contained. A self-contained document is a document that has no external dependencies. For example, if a Word document contains links to an Excel spreadsheet, that document contains external dependencies and is not self-contained. To maintain integrity when the file is viewed after storage, remove any external links or transfer them with the source document in a zip format.
Distributed files stored in the CA Dispatch database cannot be viewed or printed from a 3270 terminal. If users attempt to view or print, they will receive the following message:
DC900063 This is a Distributed File, cannot View or Print
When defining these reports to the CA Dispatch database (using the VRDMU110 screen), set the Print flag to N, Online Viewing flag to Y, and the PC flag to N. Also, to aid in tracking reports, use identifying words such as 'distributed', 'Excel Spread', or 'Word Document' in the Description field.
Users can put large binary files into the CA Dispatch repository (LDS). If these files make a large addition to what is currently kept there, the LDS's could become full. You should use the following console command to monitor the space used in the LDS files:
CA Dispatch Release 11.0 or higher—F SPLn,STATUS
CA Dispatch 6.0—F ENF SPL,STATUS
You can take the following steps to control space usage:
For CA Dispatch 6.0, the size of an individual report can be limited by using the ENFSPL ENFFSS printer to bring the report into the LDS 'post-spool' and code a LIMIT= parameter on the FSS printer definition.
Another method of limiting the size of the report is to use the LPDSERV or LPDDEST statement xOUTLIM parameter.
If more space is needed, use the APPEND command in either CA Dispatch 6.0 ENFSPL or CA Dispatch Release 11.0 or higher CADDSPL to add an additional LDS file.
There is no concept of pages or lines with the distributed files.
When viewing the report list on a 3270 terminal from the VOVMI010 or VOVMI310 screen, the 'pages' for this report is listed as 1.
When viewing the report from the CA OM Web Viewer, the file size (in bytes) is displayed instead of the line count.
To view more information about this report within the CA Dispatch repository, the Extension screen (VOPMI205) can be invoked from the RIDF Process Queue (VOPMI200). This screen shows some important information about the distributed file, such as the number of bytes and file type (for example, .XLS, .DOC, or .JPG).
After the distributed file types are stored in the CA Dispatch repository, they are treated the same as all other report files in terms of back up utilities, security, archiving, and extracting. The standards that are implemented at your site regarding security and report retention are enforced with the storage of distributed files.
When transferring files to the CA Dispatch repository, several parameters are worth noting. The LPDDEST parameters FCLASS and FDEST are used to define job class and destination. Also, you can use the FWRITER parameter to provide WRITER information for CA Dispatch processing.
The job name, if not coded, defaults to the CA Spool started task name. A JOBNAME can be coded in a variety of ways:
Code -Jjobname on the LPR command.
Specify the FNAME=&J parameter on the LPDDEST statement.
Include the U option in the FOPTS parameter on the LPDDEST statement.