Overview

Dicer is a software utility that allows you to merge, sort, dice (split), and/or duplicate the content of IBM i spooled files, creating one or more new spooled files as a result. With Dicer, you can reorganize an application's output without modifying the application.

Features

The main function of Dicer is accessed by running the Merge Spooled File (MRGSPLF) command. The command takes one or more existing IBM i spooled files as input and merges, sorts, dices (splits) and/or duplicates the spooled file content based on the criteria you specify. The command creates one or more new spooled files, which are placed in the requested output queue.

As examples, these capabilities allow you to:

Dicer supports the following IBM i print data streams:

*SCS SNA Character String.
*IPDS Intelligent Printer Data Stream.
*AFPDS Advanced Function Presentation Data Stream.

The product includes work-a-likes for the IBM i Work with Spooled File (WRKSPLF) and Work with Output Queue (WRKOUTQ) commands. The work-a-likes allow you to display a list of spooled files and process them by entering an option number.

Our Display Page Data (DSPPAGDTA) command is included in the product. The command allows you to display selected data from within a spooled file. The command supports output to a display, to print, and most interestingly to an output file. For example, by displaying the page positions of the customer number in spooled files containing invoices, you can create an index from customer number to the related spooled files that contain their invoices.

Our Retrieve Page Data (RTVPAGDTA) command is included in the product. The command allows you to retrieve data from a specific location within a spooled file. The requested data is returned in a Control Language (CL) program variable.

Product Support

Gumbo products include a range of standard features that make them easy to use, easy to manage, and easy to live with:

For additional information see: Answers to the most frequently asked general product questions.

30-Day Trial

A fully functional 30-day trial of the product is available for immediate download. There is no obligation. To receive an invoice, fill out an Invoice Request.

Prices (USD)

Gumbo offers two choices for licensing our IBM i software products, system wide licensing and partition licensing. These are mutually exclusive. A system wide license applies to a specific system serial number and processor group and is good for any and all partitions in the system. A partition license applies to a specific system serial number, partition number, and maximum processor capacity, and is not valid for a system that has not been partitioned. For the overwhelming majority of our customers, a system wide license (~ 98%) is the best choice. A partition license (~ 2%) is the best choice in very limited circumstances involving small partitions on large machines.

The system wide license prices for all of our products, with the exception of Report Designer, are tiered based on your system's processor group. You can determine your machine's processor group by running the IBM i Work with License Information (WRKLICINF) command.

The partition only license prices for all of our products, with the exception of Report Designer, are based on the maximum processor capacity configured for the partition (rounded up to the nearest tenth). You can determine your partition's maximum processor capacity by running the IBM i Start System Service Tools (STRSST) command and taking option 5 "Work with system partitions" then option 1 "Display partition information" then option 2 "Display partition processing configuration".

The one time charge includes the first  year of maintenance services. You are purchasing a permanent license to use the software subject to the terms of a license agreement and upgrade policy.

System Wide License (all partitions)
Processor Group One Time Charge Annual Maintenance
P05 $1,045 $160
P10 $1,495 $225
P20 $2,545 $385
P30 $4,195 $630
P40 $6,295 $945
P50 $8,395 $1,260
P60 $10,495 $1,575
Partition Only License (one partition)
Price Component One Time Charge Annual Maintenance
Base per partition $940 $140
Add per processor $1,050 $160
Notes:
  1. The smallest unit of processor capacity is .1 (one tenth). For example, round 1.43 up to 1.5.
  2. Example partition only license: 1 partition with 1.43 processors OTC = $1,675 = $940 + 1.5 X $1050.
  3. Run CALL PGM(QLZARCAPI) to see MAX PROCESSING CAPACITY: for a partition.
  4. Prices for other Gumbo products can be found on our current Price Sheet.
  5. Revised 2022/06/01.