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The utility SYSEXT is used to locate and test Natural Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) contained in the current system library SYSEXT.

A Natural API is a Natural subprogram (cataloged object) that is used for accessing and possibly modifying data or performing services that are specific to Natural, a subcomponent or a subproduct. The purpose of a Natural API is to retrieve or modify information or use services that are not accessible by Natural statements.

The SYSEXT Utility - Natural Application Programming Interfaces documentation covers the following topics:

• Basic Features of SYSEXT

• Invoking and Terminating SYSEXT

• SYSEXT Utility Screen

• Performing SYSEXT Utility Functions

• Using a Natural API

• List of Natural APIs

Related Topics:

• Natural User Exits - Operations documentation

• Application Programming Interfaces - Natural Security documentation

• Application Programming Interfaces - Natural SAF Security documentation

• SYSAPI - APIs of Natural Add-on Products - Utilities documentation

Basic Features of SYSEXT

For each Natural API, the utility SYSEXT provides a functional description, one example program and API-specific keywords.

The following diagram is an overview of the Natural objects and major features SYSEXT provides to test and implement an API:

Objects Provided for Natural APIs

The types of Natural object typically provided for each Natural API are listed in the following section. The section does not list additional objects that may be required for particular APIs.

All API-related objects are contained in the library SYSEXT on the system file FNAT.

In the following table, nnnn denotes the 4-digit number assigned to the API. All API objects that relate to one another have identical numbers.

Invoking and Terminating SYSEXT

This section provides instructions for invoking and terminating the SYSEXT utility.

To invoke SYSEXT

• Enter the following system command:

  SYSEXT

  A SYSEXT utility screen similar to the example below appears with a list of all available Natural APIs:

  13:11:42 ***** NATURAL SYSEXT UTILITY ***** 2005-08-01 User SAG - Menu - Library SYSEXT Cmd Source Interface Comment Prod _ USR0010P USR0010N Get 'SYSPROF' Information NAT _ USR0011P USR0011N Information about logical file NAT _ USR0020P USR0020N Read any error text from FNAT / FUSER NAT _ USR0040P USR0040N Get type of last error NAT _ USR0050P USR0050N Get 'SYSPROD' Information NAT _ USR0060P USR0060N Copy LFILE definition from 'FNAT' to 'FUSER' NAT _ USR0070P USR0070N Default Editor Profile 'SYSTEM' NAT _ USR0080P USR0080N Handle Type/Name of Editor Contents NAT _ USR0100P USR0100N Control LRECL NVS _ USR0120P USR0120N Read Natural Short Error Message NAT _ USR0210P USR0210N Save, cat or stow NATURAL object NAT _ USR0220P USR0220N Read Natural Long Error Message NAT _ USR0320P USR0320N Read User Short Error Message from FNAT or FUSER NAT _ USR0330P USR0330N Read Natural Object Directory NAT Keyword .. ________________ Command ===> Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12--- Help Exit -- + Canc

  The list is sorted by the names of the example programs (USRnnnnP). If required, press PF8 to scroll down one page in the list or PF7 to go to the beginning of the list.

To terminate SYSEXT

• On the SYSEXT utility screen, press PF3 or PF12.

  Or:
  In the Command line, enter a period (.) or enter EXIT.

SYSEXT Utility Screen

The field and columns contained on the SYSEXT utility screen are explained in the following table:

Performing SYSEXT Utility Functions

The SYSEXT utility functions can be used to perform operations on the text objects and example programs referenced in the API list on the SYSEXT utility screen. In addition, you can use the keyword search function to shorten the list of APIs or list all keywords available for the APIs.

The section below covers the following topics:

• Line Commands

• Keyword Search

Line Commands

Line commands are used to perform object operations. You enter a line command in the Cmd column next to the API required. For a list of valid line commands, enter a question mark (?) in this column.

The following line commands are available on the SYSEXT utility screen:

Keyword Search

Keywords help you find the Natural APIs relevant to your current task. You can use the keyword search function to list APIs by keyword or list the keywords relevant to a specific API.

To list APIs by keyword

• Choose any of the following methods:

  • Enter a single keyword:

    On the SYSEXT utility screen, in the Keyword field, type in a keyword and press ENTER.

    A list of all APIs to which the specified keyword applies appears.

  • Select a single keyword from a list of valid keywords:

    1. On the SYSEXT utility screen, in the Keyword field, enter an asterisk (*) and press ENTER.

       The List Keywords window with a list of all keywords available for all APIs appears as shown in the example below.

       If required, press PF8 to scroll down the list of keywords or press PF7 to go to the beginning of the list.

    2. In the M column, next to the desired keyword, type in any character and press ENTER.

       Or: In the Direct field, enter the desired keyword and press ENTER.

       A list of all APIs to which the specified keyword applies appears.

  • Select multiple keywords from a list of valid keywords:

    1. On the SYSEXT utility screen, in the Keyword field, enter an asterisk (*) and press ENTER.

       The List Keywords window with a list of all keywords available for all APIs appears as shown in the example below.

       If required, press PF8 to scroll down the list of keywords or press PF7 to go to the beginning of the list.

    2. In the M column, next to the desired keywords, type in an asterisk (*) and press ENTER.

       The Keyword window appears with a list of all APIs to which the first keyword selected applies (here: *LANGUAGE) as shown in the example below:

       11:08:58 ***** NATURAL SYSEXT UTILITY ***** 2005-11-10 User SAG - Menu - Library SYSEXT Cm +--------List Keywords---------+ +--------Keyword *LANGUAGE--------+ Prod _ ! ! ! ! NAT _ ! M Keyword ! ! Object ! NAT _ ! _ *DATX ! ! USR0020P ! NAT _ ! _ *ERROR-NR ! ! USR0120P ! NAT _ ! _ *ERROR-TA ! ! USR0320P ! NAT _ ! * *LANGUAGE ! ! USR1027P ! NAT _ ! _ *LEVEL ! ! USR1030P ! NAT _ ! _ *STEPLIB ! ! USR2034P ! NAT _ ! * *TIMESTMP ! ! USR3320P ! NVS _ ! _ *TIMX ! ! ! NAT _ ! _ ABEND ! ! ! NAT _ ! ! ! ! NAT _ ! Direct ... ________________ ! ! ! R NAT _ ! ! ! ! NAT +------------------------------+ +---------------------------------+ Keyword .. *_______________ Command ===> Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12--- Help Exit -- + Canc

    3. Press ENTER to open the Keyword window for the next keyword selected (here: *TIMESTMP).

    4. Press ENTER or PF3 to return to the List Keywords window.

    5. Press PF3 to leave all windows and return to the SYSEXT utility screen.

To list keywords relevant to a specific API

• Next to the API required, enter the line command K. The Keywords window appears for the specified API with a list of all keywords that are relevant to this API as shown in the example below:

  11:24:27 ***** NATURAL SYSEXT UTILITY ***** 2005-11-10 User SAG - Menu - Library SYSEXT Cmd Source Interface Comment Prod K USR0010P USR0010 +--Keywords for USR0010P--+ NAT _ USR0011P USR0011 ! ! file NAT _ USR0020P USR0020 ! DBID ! FNAT / FUSER NAT _ USR0040P USR0040 ! ENVIRONMENT ! NAT _ USR0050P USR0050 ! FILE ! NAT _ USR0060P USR0060 ! FNAT ! m 'FNAT' to 'FUSER' NAT _ USR0070P USR0070 ! FNR ! YSTEM' NAT _ USR0080P USR0080 ! FUSER ! r Contents NAT _ USR0100P USR0100 ! SYSPROF ! NVS _ USR0120P USR0120 ! ! Message NAT _ USR0210P USR0210 ! ! object NAT _ USR0220P USR0220 ! ! essage NAT _ USR0320P USR0320 +-------------------------+ sage from FNAT or FUSER NAT _ USR0330P USR0330N Read Natural Object Directory NAT Keyword .. ________________ Command ===> Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---;

  If required, press PF8 to scroll down one page in the list. Press PF7 to go to the beginning of the list.

Using a Natural API

If you want to use a Natural API contained in the SYSEXT system library, perform one of the following steps:

• Define the SYSEXT system library in the FNAT system file as a steplib library for the user library which contains the Natural objects that use this API. Thus, no API-specific actions are required when upgrading your Natural version.

• Copy the required API to the SYSTEM system library in the FNAT system file. Thus, you only need to check a single library for APIs when upgrading your Natural version.

• Copy the required API to the SYSTEM library in the FUSER system file (not recommended).

• Copy the required API to the user library (or one of its steplibs) in the FUSER system file which contains the Natural objects that use this API (not recommended).

An API can only be used in the Natural version with which it is delivered. It cannot be executed in any other Natural version. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that APIs are stored only in the FNAT system file.

List of Natural APIs

The following list of Natural Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) available with the SYSEXT utility is for general information only. For the current status of APIs, execute the system command SYSEXT.

The list columns correspond to the columns contained on the SYSEXT utility screen. For explanations on the columns, see the section SYSEXT Utility Screen.

For detailed information on the use of APIs that apply to Natural Remote Procedure Call (RPC), refer to the section Application Programming Interfaces for Use with Natural RPC in the Natural Remote Procedure Call documentation.

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