IDMS

1.
PROGRAM SIZE
DC programs should be limited to 120K. Programs larger than this should be reduced
in size by limiting working storage.
2. DML COMMANDS
Use only DML commands for all IDMS calls. Allow the DML preprocessor to translate
commands into correctly formatted call statements.
3. WORK AREAS
IDMS-DC: Programmers must initialize "copied in" work areas (maps and records)
which are copied in from the IDD.
4. BIND COMMAND
IDMS record BIND statements and area READY statements should be processed after
it has been determined that accessing the database is necessary. Whenever possible,
housekeeping and editing should be performed first.
5. READY COMMAND
READY the areas individually and only the areas that need to be accessed.
READY the areas with appropriate usage mode as determined by application processing
requirements. This limits database contention.
Issue all necessary READY statements contiguously (no intervening processes) at one time. This
reduces the chance of area deadlock and allows more efficient processing.
6. DBKEY USAGE
Direct database entry is the fastest access method. When practical, DBKEYs should be
temporarily saved and used within a program (i.e., to access a previously retrieved record after
performing several intervening database operations).
Use caution when DBKEYs are saved outside of a program. DBKEYs of erased records are
reused. An IDMS UNLOAD/RELOAD changes all DBKEYs. Therefore, incorrect results may
occur if DBKEYS are saved outside of a program. An exception is:
In on-line pseudo-conversational programming, it may be necessary to keep DBKEY(s) accessible
in temporary storage until the end of a functional task which could involve several programs.
7. DATA BASE SWEEPS

An area sweep is a very time-consuming process. Use area sweeps only when necessary.
Obtain the first occurrence of the record type being processed with "OBTAIN FIRST record-type
WITHIN AREA" before processing the "OBTAIN NEXT record-type WITHIN AREA" iteration
to ensure proper currency.
Retain or reestablish record currencies very carefully when processing more than one record type
during the area sweep. Remember that only one record can be CURRENT of the AREA. In other
words, remember to OBTAIN CURRENT record-name before processing the OBTAIN NEXT
record-name command.
Discontinue the sweep of the area IF YOU ARE ABLE to determine that you have reached the end
of the record type within an area. An area sweep will continue to the end of the area, not the end of
the data. For example:
When sweeping sorted records within the account area, once account number 99999999 is
encountered the sweep can be discontinued, even though you have not yet reached the end of the
area.
8. FIND/OBTAIN COMMAND
When the contents of a record are not needed, (i.e., it is necessary to establish currency only), use
the FIND command. IDMS does not go through the overhead of moving the contents of the record
occurrence into the program storage area with the FIND command.
Use the "OBTAIN" to locate and access database records. Do not use the FIND/GET sequence of
verbs when the contents of a record are needed. Either set of commands produce the same results
but the 'OBTAIN' uses less verbiage.
9. STORE COMMAND
All key values and currencies for automatic sets should be defined and established
immediately before issuing a "STORE" command.
10. DISCONNECT COMMAND

Usually only CALC records can be DISCONNECTed without immediately re-
CONNECTing to another owner. VIA records should be re-CONNECTed immediately to
another owner to prevent orphan VIA records.
11. ERASE COMMAND

Use the unqualified ERASE very carefully. Review all record and set relationships
closely before using the command, especially if using the ERASE ALL option.
12. WALKING A SET

When walking a set, on an END-OF-SET condition (0307), if it is necessary to access
the information in the owner record always make sure an "OBTAIN" command has
been issued for the owner record. On an END-OF-SET condition, currency is
established for the owner record (current of run-unit) but the contents of the record
occurrence are not moved into program storage (i.e. it operates as a "FIND" DML
command).
13. ASCERTAINING SET MEMBERSHIP

When a record is an optional or manual member of a set, the program must issue an
"IF set-name MEMBER" DML command prior to an "OBTAIN OWNER" DML command. If
the member record occurrence does not participate in a set occurrence and an
"OBTAIN OWNER" command is issued, IDMS will return the owner of the current set.
14. PROCESSING VIA RECORD

Process VIA records in a via set (if necessary), immediately after the owner has been
obtained or found. Since the entire page on which the owner and (hopefully) many of
the members are stored is brought into the buffer, I/O will be reduced.
15. LOADING SORTED SETS

IDMS-DB: When adding multiple member occurrences to an occurrence of a sorted
set, pre-sort the records in sort key sequence to decrease I/O.
16. COMMIT COMMAND

When processing long running batch update jobs, "COMMITS" should be used in conjunction
with operating system or user-written checkpoint facilities to allow job restart capabilities.
The COMMIT should also always be issued immediately after record updates which have used the
KEEP record lock option in order to release the locks.
Unless there is a reason not to, commit after every 100 updates.
If there is a reason to not issue a COMMITin an update program, place a comment at the top of the
program that states that there is no COMMITand the reason for the omission of the COMMIT.
17. STATUS CODE CHECK

Checking multiple non-zero return codes can be cumbersome under "AUTOSTATUS".
An example for handling this is given in the second document.
18. RUN MODE

IDMS DB:
As a general rule, database updates should be run as a Central Version (CV) job, and reporting
jobs should be run local mode. Efficiency considerations may warrant exceptions.
An update should be run local mode when it would be quicker to run a backup in front and restore
the database in the event of an error, than it would be to journal all activity and rollback when an
error occurs.
19. SUBROUTINES
IDMS-DC: Stable, closed procedural sub-routines (i.e., a date routine) should be
invoked by using a "CALL" statement instead of a DC LINK. The DC overhead involved
with handling a LINK can be avoided.
20. RECORD LOCK-UNLOCK FACILITY

IDMS record locks are of two types: SHARED (select) and EXCLUSIVE (update). Shared
locks prevent the update of the record occurrence by other run-units, while allowing
all run-units to retrieve the record. Exclusive locks prevent any other run units from
retrieving or updating the record occurrence. Under central version, record locks can
be set in two ways, either implicitly or explicitly.
Implicit locks are set automatically by IDMS central version as follows:
Implicit SHARED locks (select) are placed on record occurrences that become current-of-run-
unit, -record type, -set, or -area;
Implicit EXCLUSIVE locks (update) are placed on record occurrences that are altered by the
STORE, ERASE, MODIFY, CONNECT, and DISCONNECT verbs.
Explicit locks, of both the SHARED and EXCLUSIVE variety, are placed on record occurrences by
execution of the KEEP verb and the FIND/OBTAIN verb with the KEEP option.
LOCK Release:
Implicit SHARED locks are valid until a change of currency is effected, or until the run-unit
terminates. All other locks are valid for the duration of the run-unit.
Implicit EXCLUSIVE locks are released with the issue of a COMMIT, ROLLBACK, or FINISH
verb.
21. KEEP LONGTERM
IDMS-DC: This option may be used for heavily accessed information. Storage can be
allocated for the short term or long term and can be released explicitly through
program request. This option should be considered for only relatively small amounts
of information since storage is obtained from the storage pool. Kept storage is
maintained across tasks running on the same logical terminal. Data "KEPT" in the
storage pool is not recoverable from a system shutdown or failure. Data in the
storage pool is not preserved from one execution of IDMS-DC to another.
22. SCRATCH RECORDS

IDMS-DC: These records are a good option for large amounts of information
maintained across tasks. Scratch records are accessible on the same logical terminal,
are not deleted until DC shutdown, and are not maintained across system failure.
23. QUEUE RECORDS

These records are a good option when a large amount of information must be kept
across tasks. Queue records are accessible by all terminals, tasks, and batch
applications. They are kept through a DC shutdown or failure.
24. DEADLOCK-ROLLBACK
Deadlock conditions can occur whenever two or more run-units attempt to set record locks in a
sequence that prevents the further execution of either run unit. For example, consider the situation
where run-unit X has record 'A' locked and requests a lock on record 'B', while simultaneously
run-unit Y has record 'B' locked and requests a lock on record 'A'.
As neither request can be granted, both run-units are locked in a deadlock condition. A deadlock
can also occur at the area level as well as the record level, through the use of the READY
command.
For both of the above deadlock conditions, automatic IDMS resolution includes the following:
abortion of the run-unit initiating the deadlock:
rollback the database modifications effected during its uncompleted recovery unit;
post an error status of nn29 in the run-unit's IDMS communications block. Any subsequent
attempts by the run-unit to execute an IDMS verb, without re-readying the run-unit, results in an
error status of nn69 being posted in the IDMS communication block.

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1.

7. DATA BASE SWEEPS

10. DISCONNECT COMMAND

11. ERASE COMMAND

12. WALKING A SET

13. ASCERTAINING SET MEMBERSHIP

14. PROCESSING VIA RECORD

15. LOADING SORTED SETS

16. COMMIT COMMAND

17. STATUS CODE CHECK

18. RUN MODE

20. RECORD LOCK-UNLOCK FACILITY

22. SCRATCH RECORDS

23. QUEUE RECORDS

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