Use of File Description File

This item specifies whether a file-description file is used to transfer data to the iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™. The file-description file is required to transfer a workstation file, containing the data to be transferred (and converted), in fields. Such a workstation file can have either several fields or numeric data fields. To transfer a workstation file containing text (character data) only, the file-description file is not required. For details on creating a file-description file, see File-Description Files.

Do not specify this item in the following case: a workstation file having only one field (for example, PC code character) is specified in FROM, while the iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ file is a physical source file having the following record format.
```
  Field        Type          Length      "  " Decimal Places
 
Order number   Zoned            6                2
Date           Zoned            6                0
Data           Character     1 to 4096
               or Open
```
Note: When fields contain character data or zoned data only, the data portion can be broken down into several fields. The destination iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ file contains the fields for order number and date. The workstation file, however, does not. This method is recommended when transferring text only between the iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ and the workstation.
Specify this item in all other cases. Two examples are:
- Data is transferred from a workstation file having more than one field.
- The iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ file that receives the data is other than a physical source file having the record format described above.