The Convert  Message File command  converts the  messages in a  message
file to a  data base file.  All or a  range of message descriptions may
be  converted.   Some restrictions  exist.   The output file  is always
MSGFP in a specified  library.  The model  file is TAAMSGHP in  TAATOOL
with a format name of MSGFR.

A typical command would be entered as:

         CVTMSGF    MSGF(xxxx) OUTLIB(yyyy)

The printed  output from  the DSPMSGD  command is used  as input.   The
output is  only readable for lower or upper  case English.  There is an
API for retrieving a  message description, but  it does not provide  as
much information as the printed output.

The  file  output  is  named  MSGFP   and  is  placed  in  the  library
specified.

The  inverse  tool   is  UPDMSGF  which  will  add  or  update  message
descriptions from the MSGFP file to a message file.

Not all of  the information  from a  message description  is output  to
the file.  The following are the major restrictions.

  **   2nd level text up to 3000 bytes can be converted.

  **   Up  to   80  replacement  definitions   (FMT  keyword)   can  be
       converted.

  **   Up to 40 values (VALUES keyword) can be converted.

  **   Up to 40 special values (SPCVAL keyword ) can be converted.

  **   English  language  only.    If  your  primary  language  is  not
       English,  you may be able to get  the command to work by placing
       the  English  version at  the  top  of  the  library  list  with
       CHGSYSLIBL prior to running the command.

Command parameters                                    *CMD
------------------

   MSGF          The  qualified message file  name to  be output.   The
                 library defaults to *LIBL.

   OUTLIB        The  library in which  the file MSGFP  will be placed.
                 The default  is *LIBL.   If  the MSGFP  file does  not
                 already exist, a library must be specified.

   OUTMBR        The  member of  the MSGFP  file to  be used.   If  the
                 member  does not exist, it  is added.   The default is
                 MSGFP.

   REPLACE       A *YES/*NO  value for  whether  the member  should  be
                 cleared before writing  records into it.   The default
                 is *YES.

   RANGE         The lower  and upper range of  message descriptions to
                 be  converted.    The defaults  are  *FIRST  and *LAST
                 meaning all message  descriptions in the message  file
                 would be converted.

                 The  lower  range  defaults  to *FIRST.    A  specific
                 message description ID may be entered.

                 The  upper  range  defaults  to  *LAST.    A  specific
                 message description ID may  be entered or the  special
                 value *ONLY.


File format
-----------

The file name that is output is MSGFP.

The model file used is TAAMSGHP with a format name of MSGFR.

To see the field names used:

       DSPFMT    TAAMSGHP

Restrictions
------------

See the previous discussion of limitations.

Prerequisites
-------------

The following TAA Tools must be on your system:

           EDTVAR       Edit variable
           SNDCOMPMSG   Send completion message
           SNDESCMSG    Send escape message
           SNDSTSMSG    Send status message

Implementation
--------------

None, the tool is ready to use.

Objects used by the tool
------------------------

   Object        Type        Attribute      Src member    Src file
   ------        ----        ---------      ----------    ----------

   CVTMSGF       *CMD                       TAAMSGH       QATTCMD
   TAAMSGHC      *PGM           CLP         TAAMSGHC      QATTCL
   TAAMSGHR      *PGM           RPG         TAAMSGHR      QATTRPG
   TAAMSGHP      *FILE          PF          TAAMSGHP      QATTDDS
   TAAMSGHQ      *FILE          PF          TAAMSGHQ      QATTDDS
   TAAMSGHS      *FILE          PF          TAAMSGHS      QATTDDS

The TAAMSGHQ  file has  the same  fields as  TAAMSGHP, but  adds a  key
field on MSMSID.

The  TAAMSGHS file  has the  same fields as  TAAMSGHP with  a different
first two letters (MT) and a key field on MTMSID.