A. Overview of the Environment Manager

One of the beautiful aspects of the 400 is the “hierarchical database structure” that is used to control what objects a user has access to in a particular session. Instead of creating CL programs for each new environment and changing them whenever your needs change, you can use The Environment Manager to define and switch between environments.

Type “EZ” from a command line to bring up the EASY400 main menu. If the command is not found then either add library QGPL to your library list or execute the command from library EASY400 by typing “EASY400/EZ” on a command line. Note that option 4 is not available at this time but will be in a later release. Your screen should appear similar to Exhibit A.

Exhibit A – EASY400 Main Menu


Take option 1 to access the Environment Manager. This will bring you into the prompt screen for the Environment Manager where you can decide to create, change, delete, view, print, or copy an environment definition. To get started with EASY400 you will need to create an environment by taking option 1 and creating an Environment ID as shown in Exhibit B. For this example, we are creating an environment that we will title “PRODUCTION” but you may title it as you see fit.

Exhibit B – Defining the “PRODUCTION” Environment


There are three different methods to choose from when you are creating an environment. In this example, we will use the library list of the current session as a starting point for defining the “production” environment. You may also start with a blank library list set-up screen and add libraries or select to work with every library on your system. On this screen you will also need to enter in a description of your environment as shown in Exhibit C.

Exhibit C – Using the current library list to define the PRODUCTION environment.


The current library list for this session is brought in to The Environment Manager so it can be defined as the “Production” environment. See Exhibit D.

Exhibit D – The Current Library list is “pulled in” to define the PRODUCTION environment.


If you would like to modify the environment definition you can add, remove, and change libraries in a similar manner as the AS/400 EDTLIBL command. In this example, we are adding library “MDSLIB” to the first position in the environment’s library list. See Exhibit E.

Exhibit E – Example of how an environment definition can be customized.


After pressing enter, the Environment Manager will prompt us to press F7 to save the newly created environment definition.

Exhibit F – Saving the newly defined environment.


After you press F7, a batch job is initiated that will gather pertinent information on all of the objects in this newly defined environment.

You have completed defining the environment! Once the information gathering batch job has completed you can use the remaining features of EASY400. In the meantime, you can define other environments as needed. Possible environment definitions include test environments as well as environments for separate divisions or companies hosted on your AS/400.

NOTES: Option 7 from the Environment Manager prompt screen (see Exhibit B) enables users to quickly and safely set up a library list according to the work to be performed.

Some AS/400 shops like to create an environment titled “ALL” and select the option to “work with all of the user libraries on the system” as shown in Exhibit C. This gives them the ability to show information, scan, and perform other functions (security permitted) on all objects on the system.