Here’s some code that declares file QCUSTCDT from library QIWS as well as file QCUSTCDT from a library named in a variable:

     FQCUSTCDT1 if   e             disk    extfile( 'QIWS/QCUSTCDT' )

     FQCUSTCDT2 if   e             disk    usropn
     f                                     extfile( CUSTCDT2  )
     f                                     extmbr( CDMBR )
     f                                     rename( CUSREC : CUSREC2 )
     f                                     prefix( QC : 2 )

     D CUSTCDT2        s             21
     D CDMBR           c                   'MYMBR'

                         CUSTCDT2  = %trimr( PgmLib ) + '/'
                                   + 'QCUSTCDT' ;

There are more options there than you need. The two F-specs use slightly different techniques. Use only pieces that you really need.

The requirement is that the compiler needs file descriptions named “QCUSTCDT1″ and “QCUSTCDT2″ at compile-time because those are the F-spec names. You can either create duplicate file descriptions in a library in your library list when you compile or execute OVRDBF before the compile command executes. There is no need to run OVRDBF when the program runs if you do it this way.

When you duplicate a file description for this, you don’t need the data. Nor do you even need any members. The file description objects are small enough not to make any real difference to your system. If necessary, they can be deleted after the compile finishes; but I prefer keeping them in a development library for later reference.

Tom