The 3 methods are defined on the Help for the MAINT parm from CRTPF, CHGPF, CRTLF, CHGLF. I have never had any reason to use *REBLD or *DLY. *IMMED *REBLD *DLY *IMMED The access path is continuously (immediately) maintained for each physical file member. The path is changed each time a record is changed, added to, or deleted from the member. *IMMED is specified for all files requiring unique keys to ensure uniqueness in all inserts and changes. *REBLD The access path is rebuilt when a file member is opened. The access path is continuously maintained until the member is closed; then the access path maintenance is ended. *REBLD is not valid for access paths that contain unique key values. *DLY The maintenance of the access path is delayed until the member is opened for use. Then the access path is changed only for records that were added, deleted, or changed since the file was last closed. (While the file is open, all changes made to based-on members are immediately reflected in the access paths of the members of the opened files, no matter what is specified for the Access path maintenance (MAINT) parameter.) To prevent a lengthy rebuild time when the file is opened, *DLY should be specified only when the number of changes to the access path between a close operation and the next open operation are small (when key fields in records for this access path change infrequently). *DLY is not valid for access paths that require unique key values. If the number of changes between a close operation and the next open operation reaches approximately 10% of the access path size, the system stops saving changes and the access path is completely rebuilt the next time the file is opened.

The 3 methods are defined on the Help for the MAINT parm from CRTPF, CHGPF, CRTLF, CHGLF. I have never had any reason to use *REBLD or *DLY. *IMMED *REBLD *DLY *IMMED The access path is continuously (immediately) maintained for each physical file member. The path is changed each time a record is changed, added to, or deleted from the member. *IMMED is specified for all files requiring unique keys to ensure uniqueness in all inserts and changes. *REBLD The access path is rebuilt when a file member is opened. The access path is continuously maintained until the member is closed; then the access path maintenance is ended. *REBLD is not valid for access paths that contain unique key values. *DLY The maintenance of the access path is delayed until the member is opened for use. Then the access path is changed only for records that were added, deleted, or changed since the file was last closed. (While the file is open, all changes made to based-on members are immediately reflected in the access paths of the members of the opened files, no matter what is specified for the Access path maintenance (MAINT) parameter.) To prevent a lengthy rebuild time when the file is opened, *DLY should be specified only when the number of changes to the access path between a close operation and the next open operation are small (when key fields in records for this access path change infrequently). *DLY is not valid for access paths that require unique key values. If the number of changes between a close operation and the next open operation reaches approximately 10% of the access path size, the system stops saving changes and the access path is completely rebuilt the next time the file is opened.