Workgroups

The AppMaster Builder Workgroup feature enables you to use AMB objects located outside of your current AMB project subdirectories, including objects located in AMB project subdirectories associated with a project other than the current project, and objects located in mainframe PDSs. You create and modify objects in the current project for the purpose of building programs and applications. When you associate a workgroup with the current project, AppMaster Builder gives you access to the objects located in the directories and PDSs defined in the workgroup. You can view the objects from AMB and use them when you generate programs, screens, databases, and applications. You cannot edit or modify workgroup objects located outside of your current project subdirectories.

Workgroups enable you to:

• Keep mainframe files on the mainframe and still use them to build AMB applications.
• Use a single application object in multiple projects without having to maintain it in multiple locations.
• Group and access objects and source code according to development stages. For example, one workgroup might point to a set of production files and another to a set of test files.

A workgroup consists of a workgroup library file that contains a list of one or more of the following:

• AMB project subdirectories for the current project (local)
• AMB project subdirectories located on a local area network
• Mainframe PDSs, including but not limited to APS projects
• A combination of the above items
• Data view sources

Workgroups function in a similar manner to path specifications. The current project subdirectories are searched first, followed by the project subdirectories and mainframe PDSs specified in the workgroup in the order that they are listed in the workgroup library file. Objects that are stored in the directories and PDSs specified in the workgroup are all available to AMB. When searching a workgroup for a specific object, AMB uses the first matching object it finds. If a workgroup consists of a combination of local and LAN project subdirectories and mainframe PDSs, all local and LAN directories are searched before the PDSs are searched. A workgroup can contain up to nine AMB project locations for PC/LAN locations, and nine mainframe project locations.