[WIP] The handleSqlSubmit function's Loading ResultSet... message seems to appear prematurely. Is there way to have it keep the Running your request... message until the fetch starts returning data? It seems to return rather quickly But I could be wrong abou...

[Copilot]

Coding agent has begun work on **The handleSqlSubmit function's Loading ResultSet... message seems to appear prematurely. Is there way to have it keep the Running your request... message until the fetch starts returning data? It seems to return rather quickly But I could be wrong about that:
** and will replace this description as work progresses.

See problem context

The following is a snapshot of a chat conversation between a user and an AI coding assistant. Prioritize later messages in the conversation.
User: Please explain this recommendation in more detail:
Optional cleanup: update package.json "name" to "db2json" (not required), and search for “restocking2” references (only found in package-lock.json name). No code paths use the old folder name, so the app should run as-is.
AI: This recommendation suggests two optional cleanup steps for your project:

1. Update the "name" field in your
   AI: to "db2json":

• The "name" field in
  AI: identifies your project. If your project folder or app is now called "db2json", it's a good idea (but not required) to make the "name" field match for clarity and consistency.
• This is purely cosmetic and does not affect how your app runs.

2. Search for references to “restocking2”:

• This checks if any files still reference an old project or folder name ("restocking2").
• The only place “restocking2” was found is in package-lock.json, specifically in the "name" field.
• Since no code files or configuration use the old name, your app should work fine without further changes.

In summary: You can update the name in
AI: for neatness, and you don’t need to worry about “restocking2” unless you want to regenerate
AI: for consistency. The app will run as-is.
User: Okay, let's add all the necessary and usual json nodes to the package.json file for this db2json project as I will be pushing it to my github repo.
AI:

AI: 

AI: Your
AI: now includes all the standard and recommended fields for a public GitHub project, such as name, version, description, main, repository, author, license, keywords, bugs, and homepage. Be sure to update the placeholder values (YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME, YOUR NAME, YOUR_EMAIL@example.com) with your actual information before pushing to GitHub.
User: Create a readme.md and changelog.md with whatever we've done so far as a base line overview (not too many details)
AI: Both
AI: and
AI: have been created with a baseline overview of the project and its initial setup. You can now review or update these files as needed before publishing to GitHub.
User: You inserted "Added typescript build setup" but I don't see a typescript build setup. Is that just standard but we don't have it?
AI: You are correct—while the
AI: includes TypeScript as a devDependency and a build script ("build": "tsc"), there is no actual TypeScript source code or a
AI: configuration for a full TypeScript build setup in your project. The mention in the changelog refers only to the presence of TypeScript in package.json, not to a complete setup or usage of TypeScript source files.

If you want a real TypeScript build setup (with .ts files and a configured tsconfig.json), let me know and I can add it for you. Otherwise, I can update the changelog to clarify this.
User: Update the readme and changelog for clarity
AI:

AI: 

AI:

AI: 

AI: Both the readme and changelog have been updated for clarity. They now specify that TypeScript is included as a devDependency and build script, but there are no TypeScript source files yet. Let me know if you need further adjustments or want to add TypeScript support.
User: Will having the aliasmatch and script alias like this cause an issue with conflicts? What I want is for the CGI program db2json.pgm to be authorized but also allow them to integrate the html, js, and css into their current http server configuration.
AliasMatch ^/db2json/(.*) /www//docs/db2json/$1
ScriptAlias /db2json /qsys.lib/db2json.lib/db2json.pgm
<Location /db2json>
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Sign in with your IBM i profile"
UserID %%CLIENT%%
Require valid-user
PasswdFile %%SYSTEM%%
Options +ExecCGI +Includes

<Location /db2json>
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Sign in with your IBM i profile"
UserID %%CLIENT%%
Require valid-user
PasswdFile %%SYSTEM%%

AI: Yes, having both AliasMatch and ScriptAlias for the same path prefix (/db2json) can cause conflicts in Apache HTTP Server (including IBM i's HTTP server). Here’s why and how to address it:

What happens with your current config?

• AliasMatch ^/db2json/(.*) ... maps any URL starting with /db2json/ to static files (HTML, JS, CSS) in your docs directory.
• ScriptAlias /db2json ... maps the exact path /db2json to your CGI program (db2json.pgm).
• Both directives overlap, but Apache gives precedence to ScriptAlias for the exact match /db2json, and AliasMatch for anything under /db2json/ (like /db2json/index.html, /db2json/js/db2json.js, etc.).

Will there be a conflict?

• No direct conflict: /db2json (no trailing slash) will invoke the CGI, while /db2json/anything will serve static files.
• However, if you want to serve a static file at /db2json (e.g., /db2json/index.html), it will not work because /db2json is reserved for the CGI.

How to achieve your goal?

• This setup is correct if you want /db2json to run the CGI and /db2json/* to serve static files.
• To avoid confusion, do not place an index.html at /db2json (root), only under /db2json/ (with a trailing slash).

Authorization

• Your <Location /db2json> block applies authentication to both the CGI and any static files under /db2json, unless you further restrict it.
• If you want only the CGI to require authentication, use <LocationMatch ^/db2json$> for the CGI and a separate <Location /db2json/> for static files (with or without auth as needed).

Example for your use case:

AliasMatch   ^/db2json/(.*)   /www/<myhttpsvrName>/docs/db2json/$1
ScriptAlias  /db2json  /qsys.lib/db2json.lib/db2json.pgm

# Auth for CGI only
<LocationMatch ^/db2json$>
    AuthType Basic

AI:  AuthName "Sign in with your IBM i profile"
    UserID %%CLIENT%%
    Require valid-user
    PasswdFile %%SYSTEM%%
    Options +ExecCGI +Includes
</LocationMatch>

# (Optional) Auth for static files
# <Location /db2json/>
#     ...auth config if needed...
# </Location>

Summary:
Your current setup is standard and will not cause a conflict as long as you understand that /db2json (no slash) is for the CGI and /db2json/* is for static files. Use <LocationMatch ^/db2json$> if you want to restrict authentication to just the CGI program.
User: Explain that ^/db2json$ syntax and what it means vs just /db2json
AI: The syntax ^/db2json$ is a regular expression (regex) used in Apache’s directive. Here’s what it means:

• ^ means “start of the string”
• /db2json is the exact path
• $ means “end of the string”

So, ^/db2json$ matches only the exact path /db2json (with nothing before or after).

In contrast, /db2json (used in <Location /db2json>) matches /db2json and anything that starts with /db2json, such as /db2json/, /db2json/file, etc.

Use ^/db2json$ in when you want to apply settings (like authentication) only to the exact /db2json path (e.g., your CGI), not to files or directories under it.
User: I want to push this to my git hub but I have not create the db2json repo as yet. Do I need to go online and do that first before upload this ?
AI: You do not have to create the GitHub repo online first—there are two ways to do it:

1. Create the repo on GitHub.com first, then push your local project to it (recommended for beginners, as GitHub gives you the exact commands to use).
2. Or, you can initialize your local project as a git repo, then use the GitHub CLI or website to create a new remote repo and push your code.

If you want the easiest experience, create the repo on GitHub.com first, then follow the instructions it provides to push your local code. This ensures your remote and local repositories are linked correctly.
User: okay I created the repo named db2json on my page (user name is bobcozzi). can you review my package.json and tsconfig.json and make any necessary changes so I can add, commit and push this up there including the H, QCLSRC, and QCSRC folders along with their content?
AI:

AI: 

AI: 

AI: Your
AI: has been updated for GitHub best practices, including correct metadata and a files list to ensure H, QCLSRC, and QCSRC folders are included when publishing. The
AI: was also updated to clarify that no TypeScript files are present yet and to exclude non-TS folders.

You can now safely add, commit, and push your project—including the H, QCLSRC, and QCSRC folders—to your new GitHub repo. The warning in
AI: is expected since there are no .ts files yet; it will go away if you add TypeScript sources in the future.
User: This has both IBM i source code in the QCLSRC, QCSRC and H folders, as well as PC/html code in the project folder and js and css folders that all needs to be synced.
AI: Your project structure is well-suited for syncing both IBM i source code (in QCLSRC, QCSRC, and H) and PC/web code (in the root, js, and css folders) to GitHub. With the updated
AI: "files" field, all these directories and their contents will be included when you publish or push to your repo.

To keep everything in sync:

• Commit all folders and files (including IBM i and web assets) to your local git repo.
• Push to GitHub; all code will be available in one place for easy collaboration and backup.

If you want, I can provide a step-by-step git workflow for your first commit and push. Let me know if you need that!
User: SO I do this?
git add .
git commit -m "Initial relase of Db2JSON"
git push
AI: Yes, those are the correct steps! Here’s the full workflow for your first push (assuming you already ran git init and set the remote):

git add .
git commit -m "Initial release of Db2JSON"
git push -u origin main

• The -u flag sets the upstream branch, so future git push commands can be just git push.
• If your branch is named master instead of main, use master instead.

If you haven’t set the remote yet, add it first:

git remote add origin https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git

You’re ready to push your project to GitHub!
User: It doesn't seem like it omitted the node_modules when I did the git commit
AI: A .gitignore file has been created to ensure node_modules and other common files are excluded from future commits. To fix your current commit, remove node_modules from the repo, commit the removal, and push again. Let me know if you want the exact commands for that process.
User: So do I do the commit again or what's the sequence to avoid including thse node_modules?
AI: To remove node_modules from your repo and prevent it from being committed again, follow these steps:

1. Remove node_modules from git tracking (but not from your disk):

git rm -r --cached node_modules

2. Commit the removal:

git commit -m "Remove node_modules from repository and add .gitignore"

3. Push the changes:

git push

After this, node_modules will be ignored in future commits thanks to your .gitignore.
User: DO I want to do git push, or git push -u origin main
AI: If this is your first push to the remote repository or you want to set the upstream branch, use:

git push -u origin main

This sets the default upstream branch, so future pushes can be done with just git push.

If you’ve already set the upstream branch before, you can simply use:

git push

For most first-time pushes, git push -u origin main is recommended.
User: CL prompter is another repo I have, why is this thing referring to it? Yikes! :)
To https://github.com/bobcozzi/clprompter.git
! [rejected] main -> main (fetch first)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/bobcozzi/clprompter.git'
hint: Updates were rejected because the remote contains work that you do
hint: not have locally. This is usually caused by another repository pushing
hint: to the same ref. You may want to first integrate the remote changes
hint: (e.g., 'git pull ...') before pushing again.
hint: See the 'Note about fast-forwards' in 'git push --help' for details.
AI: Your local git repository is still linked to your clprompter remote (https://github.com/bobcozzi/clprompter.git), not your new db2json repo. That’s why you’re seeing this error.

To fix this:

1. Change the remote URL to your new db2json repo:

git remote set-url origin https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git

2. Then push again:

git push -u origin main

This will connect your local project to the correct GitHub repository.
User: Now I see this. What does it mean?
git push -u origin main
To https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git
! [rejected] main -> main (fetch first)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git'
hint: Updates were rejected because the remote contains work that you do
hint: not have locally. This is usually caused by another repository pushing
hint: to the same ref. You may want to first integrate the remote changes
hint: (e.g., 'git pull ...') before pushing again.
hint: See the 'Note about fast-forwards' in 'git push --help' for details.
AI: This error means the remote db2json repository on GitHub already has commits (for example, a README or .gitignore created by GitHub) that your local repo does not have. Git is preventing you from overwriting those changes.

To fix this, you need to pull the remote changes and merge them into your local branch before pushing:

1. Fetch and merge the remote main branch:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories

(The --allow-unrelated-histories flag is needed if your local and remote repos were initialized separately.)

2. Resolve any merge conflicts if prompted.

3. Then push again:

git push -u origin main

This will sync your local and remote repositories.
User: Yes I had it create a .gitignore when I did the repo. Probably a mistake.
AI: That’s a common situation and not a problem! When you create a repo on GitHub and let it add a .gitignore (or README), it creates an initial commit. This just means your local and remote histories are different.

To resolve this, simply run:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories

• If there are any merge conflicts (for example, in .gitignore), git will tell you. Open the conflicted files, resolve the conflicts, then:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main'"

Then push your code:

git push -u origin main

After this, your local and remote repos will be in sync and you won’t have this issue again.
User: I see this after the git pull original main...
git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories
remote: Enumerating objects: 4, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (4/4), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (4/4), done.
remote: Total 4 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 (from 0)
Unpacking objects: 100% (4/4), 4.54 KiB | 1.14 MiB/s, done.
From https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json

• branch main -> FETCH_HEAD

• 2f6dce7...c28552c main -> origin/main (forced update)
  hint: You have divergent branches and need to specify how to reconcile them.
  hint: You can do so by running one of the following commands sometime before
  hint: your next pull:
  hint:
  hint: git config pull.rebase false # merge
  hint: git config pull.rebase true # rebase
  hint: git config pull.ff only # fast-forward only
  hint:
  hint: You can replace "git config" with "git config --global" to set a default
  hint: preference for all repositories. You can also pass --rebase, --no-rebase,
  hint: or --ff-only on the command line to override the configured default per
  hint: invocation.
  fatal: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branches.
  AI: This message means your local and remote branches have different histories (diverged), and git needs to know how to combine them. You have two main options:

1. Merge (recommended for most users):

git pull --no-rebase origin main

This will merge the remote changes into your local branch. If there are conflicts, resolve them, then commit.

2. Rebase (advanced, rewrites history):

git pull --rebase origin main

This will replay your local commits on top of the remote branch.

For your case, use the merge option:

git pull --no-rebase origin main

Then resolve any conflicts, commit, and push:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote changes"
git push -u origin main

This will get your local and remote branches in sync.
User: I got this;
git pull --no-rebase origin main
From https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json

• branch main -> FETCH_HEAD
  fatal: refusing to merge unrelated histories
  AI: You need to include the --allow-unrelated-histories flag to force git to merge two repositories that were initialized separately. Run:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories

This will allow the merge to proceed. If there are any conflicts, resolve them, then commit and push:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote and local histories"
git push -u origin main

This will synchronize your local and remote repositories.
User: I got this:
git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories
From https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json

• branch main -> FETCH_HEAD
  hint: You have divergent branches and need to specify how to reconcile them.
  hint: You can do so by running one of the following commands sometime before
  hint: your next pull:
  hint:
  hint: git config pull.rebase false # merge
  hint: git config pull.rebase true # rebase
  hint: git config pull.ff only # fast-forward only
  hint:
  hint: You can replace "git config" with "git config --global" to set a default
  hint: preference for all repositories. You can also pass --rebase, --no-rebase,
  hint: or --ff-only on the command line to override the configured default per
  hint: invocation.
  fatal: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branches.
  AI: Git is asking you to specify how to combine the histories because both your local and remote branches have unique commits. To resolve this, run:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories --no-rebase

This will merge the remote and local histories.
If you see any merge conflicts, resolve them, then:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote and local histories"
git push -u origin main

This will complete the sync between your local and remote repositories.
User: Is is asking me to enter a commit message and gives me that inline editor. Should I just type a simple message and then how do I exit? Is that the :q or similar /
AI: Yes, you should type a simple merge commit message (or just use the default message provided by git).

To exit and save in the default editor (usually Vim):

1. Press Esc (if you’re in insert mode).
2. Type :wq
3. Press Enter

This will save the commit message and complete the merge. If you want to exit without saving, use :q! instead.
User: Now do those last 3 steps? add commit push?
AI: Yes! Now run these commands to finish the process:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote and local histories"
git push -u origin main

This will stage any resolved files, commit the merge, and push everything to your GitHub repo. You’ll be fully synced after this.
User: I don't see anything in this github repo
Here's some of what I saw in terminal:
git push -u origin main
Enumerating objects: 5243, done.
Counting objects: 100% (5243/5243), done.
Delta compression using up to 14 threads
Compressing objects: 100% (4143/4143), done.
error: RPC failed; HTTP 400 curl 22 The requested URL returned error: 400
send-pack: unexpected disconnect while reading sideband packet
Writing objects: 100% (5242/5242), 24.29 MiB | 20.20 MiB/s, done.
Total 5242 (delta 1253), reused 3409 (delta 828), pack-reused 0
fatal: the remote end hung up unexpectedly
Everything up-to-date
AI: This error means your push was too large for GitHub’s default HTTP limits (often due to node_modules or other large files accidentally included). Even though you now have a .gitignore, if node_modules was already committed, it’s still in your git history and being pushed.

To fix this:

1. Remove node_modules from git tracking (but not from disk):

git rm -r --cached node_modules

2. Commit the removal:

git commit -m "Remove node_modules from repository"

3. Push again:

git push -u origin main

If the push still fails due to repo size, you may need to use a tool like git filter-repo or BFG Repo-Cleaner to remove node_modules from your git history. Let me know if you need help with that!
User: Okay, have this issue with ever new creation/repo. What can I set in vs code to avoid this from happening moving forward (if anything) and how do I resolve it now?
AI: To avoid this issue in the future and resolve it now, follow these steps:

1. Prevent the problem in new projects

• Always create a
  AI: file before running git add . or your first commit.
• In VS Code, you can use the built-in template:
  • Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P), type “Add .gitignore”, and select the Node template (or relevant for your project).
• Make sure
  AI: and other large/generated folders are listed in
  AI: before you commit.

2. Fix your current repository

Since
AI: was already committed, you need to remove it from git history:

A. Remove node_modules from tracking and commit

git rm -r --cached node_modules
git commit -m "Remove node_modules from repository"
git push -u origin main

If this works, you’re done.

B. If your push still fails (repo too large)

You’ll need to rewrite your git history to remove all traces of
AI: :

• Use the BFG Repo-Cleaner (easier than git filter-branch):

1. Download and install BFG: https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/
2. Run:

   java -jar bfg.jar --delete-folders node_modules --no-blob-protection
   git reflog expire --expire=now --all && git gc --prune=now --aggressive
   git push --force

This will permanently remove
AI: from your repo history.

---

Summary:

• Always add a
  AI: before your first commit.
• Remove
  AI: from tracking and history if already committed.
• Use BFG Repo-Cleaner if your repo is still too large to push.

Let me know if you want step-by-step help with BFG or have any questions!
User: First, the "outDir": "./dist", in tsconfig.json isn't applicable to this project. Can you remove it safely? I delete the dist folder
User: @agent Try Again
AI:

AI: 

AI: The "outDir": "./dist" line has been safely removed from your tsconfig.json. You can also delete the dist folder if it exists, as it is no longer needed for this project.
User: Hmmm... same issue with 24.29MiB and a remote end hung up unexpectedly message. Right after I ran git push -u origin main
AI: This means your repository is still too large for GitHub to accept, likely because node_modules or other large files were committed in the past and are still present in your git history—even if you removed them now.

To resolve this, you need to remove node_modules (and any other large files) from your entire git history, not just the latest commit. Here’s how to do it safely:

1. Download and run BFG Repo-Cleaner (recommended for this situation)

1. Download BFG Repo-Cleaner:
   https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/

2. In your project root, run:

   git rm -r --cached node_modules
   git commit -m "Remove node_modules from repository"

3. Run BFG to clean your history:

   java -jar bfg.jar --delete-folders node_modules --no-blob-protection

4. Clean and prune your repo:

   git reflog expire --expire=now --all
   git gc --prune=now --aggressive

5. Force push to GitHub:

   git push --force

---

After this, your repo will be much smaller and you should not see the error again.
Let me know if you want step-by-step help with BFG or if you have any questions!
User: When I ran git rm -r --cached node_modules
It said node_modules did not match any files
AI: This means node_modules is no longer tracked by git in your current working directory, which is good. However, if you previously committed node_modules, it may still exist in your repository’s history, causing the large push size.

To fully resolve the issue:

1. Use BFG Repo-Cleaner (or git filter-repo) to remove node_modules from your entire git history, not just the latest commit.

Quick steps with BFG Repo-Cleaner:

1. Download BFG from https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/
2. In your repo root, run:

   java -jar bfg.jar --delete-folders node_modules --no-blob-protection
   git reflog expire --expire=now --all
   git gc --prune=now --aggressive
   git push --force

This will permanently remove node_modules from your git history and allow you to push to GitHub.

Let me know if you want detailed, step-by-step instructions for your platform!
User: I already have bgf up one level in my directory structure at /Users/cozzi/Downloads/projects/bfg-1.15.0.jar
AI: Great! Here are the exact steps to remove node_modules from your git history using BFG, given your setup:

1. In your project root (
   AI: ), run:

git gc --prune=now --aggressive

2. Run BFG from one level up:

java -jar ../bfg-1.15.0.jar --delete-folders node_modules --no-blob-protection

3. Clean and prune your repo:

git reflog expire --expire=now --all
git gc --prune=now --aggressive

4. Force push to GitHub:

git push --force

This will permanently remove node_modules from your entire git history and allow you to push to GitHub successfully. Let me know if you hit any issues or need further help!
User: Weird. That java -jar bfgI says:
Aborting : /Users/cozzi/Downloads/projects/db2json is not a valid Git repository.
AI: This error means you are not running the BFG command inside the actual git repository directory. Make sure you are in the root of your git repo (where the .git folder exists).

Here’s how to check and fix:

1. In your terminal, navigate to your project directory:

cd /Users/cozzi/Downloads/projects/db2json

2. Check if it’s a git repo:

ls -a

You should see a .git folder listed.

3. If you see .git, run:

java -jar ../bfg-1.15.0.jar --delete-folders node_modules --no-blob-protection

If you do not see a .git folder, you are not in the correct directory, or git was not initialized.
Let me know what you see, and I’ll guide you from there!
User: I don't see .git how do I initialize it?
AI: To initialize a git repository in your project folder, run:

cd /Users/cozzi/Downloads/projects/db2json
git init

This will create a .git folder and set up your project as a git repository.
After that, you can add your remote and proceed with your normal git workflow. If you need to connect to your GitHub repo, run:

git remote add origin https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git

Let me know if you need help with the next steps!
User: It is using master as the name for the initial branch instead of main.
AI: To rename your initial branch from master to main, run these commands in your project directory:

git branch -m master main
git fetch origin
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/main main

If you haven’t pushed yet, you can just push with:

git push -u origin main

If the remote doesn’t have a main branch yet, this will create it.
This will align your local branch name with the standard main branch on GitHub.
User: git push -u origin main
To https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git
! [rejected] main -> main (non-fast-forward)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json.git'
hint: Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind
hint: its remote counterpart. Integrate the remote changes (e.g.
hint: 'git pull ...') before pushing again.
hint: See the 'Note about fast-forwards' in 'git push --help' for details.
AI: This error means the remote main branch has commits that your local main branch does not. To resolve this, you need to pull the remote changes and merge them into your local branch before pushing.

Run:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories

or, if you want to ensure a merge:

git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories --no-rebase

Resolve any merge conflicts if prompted, then:

git add .
git commit -m "Merge remote and local main branches"
git push -u origin main

This will synchronize your local and remote branches and allow you to push successfully.
User: git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories
From https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json

• branch main -> FETCH_HEAD
  hint: You have divergent branches and need to specify how to reconcile them.
  hint: You can do so by running one of the following commands sometime before
  hint: your next pull:
  hint:
  hint: git config pull.rebase false # merge
  hint: git config pull.rebase true # rebase
  hint: git config pull.ff only # fast-forward only
  hint:
  hint: You can replace "git config" with "git config --global" to set a default
  hint: preference for all repositories. You can also pass --rebase, --no-rebase,
  hint: or --ff-only on the command line to override the configured default per
  hint: invocation.
  fatal: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branches.
  cozzi@MacBookM4 db2json % git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories --no-rebase
  From https://github.com/bobcozzi/db2json
• branch main -> FETCH_HEAD
  Auto-merging .gitignore
  CONFLICT (add/add): Merge conflict in .gitignore
  Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.
  AI: You have a merge conflict in your .gitignore file. Here’s how to resolve it:

1. Open
   AI: in your editor.

2. Look for conflict markers like this:

   <<<<<<< HEAD
   ...your local changes...
   =======
   ...remote changes...
   >>>>>>> ...
   

3. Edit the file to keep what you want (combine or choose one side), and remove the conflict markers.

4. Save the file.

5. Stage the resolved file:

   git add .gitignore

6. Complete the merge with a commit:

   git commit -m "Resolve .gitignore merge conflict"

7. Push your changes:

   git push -u origin main

Your branches will be fully merged and in sync after this!
User: Finally
AI: Congratulations! Your local and remote repositories are now in sync. You’ve resolved the conflicts and completed the push. Your project is now safely on GitHub and ready for collaboration or backup.

If you have any more questions or need help with future git or project tasks, just ask!
User: Can you read and refresh my "## Best Test Case" section of the readme.md file and update it as needed or recommend edits?
User: @agent Try Again
AI: Here’s a refreshed and clarified version of your “## Best Test Case” section for the readme.md, with improved structure and clarity:

---

Best Test Case

The best way to try out DB2JSON is with a web CGI request. Use the provided
AI: file along with the supporting JavaScript and CSS files to run the demo app. This demo web page offers a simple interface, similar to IBM ACS RUN SQL Scripts, but is entirely web-driven—no Java or PC programs required, just HTML, JS, CSS, and the host CGI program DB2JSON in the DB2JSON library.

To test via the web:

• Ensure your HTTP server is configured as described above.
• Open
  AI: in your browser. You can run SQL queries (SELECT, VALUES, or CTE) and see the JSON output directly in the browser.

To test via CL/5250:

• Compile and call the DEMO CL program included in
  AI: . This program calls DB2JSON from CL and writes the output of QIWS/QCUSTCDT to the IFS as JSON.
• The demo program also writes a DSPF command so you can use F9 to retrieve and instantly view your JSON result file.

Usage notes:

• DB2JSON can be used as a CGI program on the web or from a CL/Command Entry environment.
• You can use it in CL to create JSON files on the IFS from almost any SQL query statement (SELECT, VALUES, or CTE).

---

Would you like me to update the file with this improved section?
User: yes looks good
AI:

AI: 

AI: Your "Best Test Case" section has been updated for clarity and structure. It now clearly explains both web and CL/5250 testing, and highlights usage notes for new users. Let me know if you want further tweaks or have other documentation needs!
User: Great. The "## Build Routines" section of readme.md is correct but apparently I don't know ow to make sub-bullets. I used a., b., c. to do that and it is clearly not doing it right. Can you correct it and fix any spelling or grammer issues along the way?
AI:

AI: 

AI: The "Build Routine" section now uses proper Markdown sub-bullets, and spelling/grammar have been corrected for clarity and professionalism. Your instructions are now easier to read and follow. Let me know if you need any more improvements!
User: okay, let's update the repo so this new readme it there.
AI: Your
AI: is already up to date in the repository—there are no new changes to commit or push. The latest version is already reflected on GitHub. If you make further edits, just repeat git add, commit, and push as needed.
User: now I've updated the qclsrc/demo.clle file and need to push it up. Should I just use the generica git add . or is specifying the specific file name better?
AI: Both methods work, but here’s the difference:

• git add . will stage all changed files in your project directory (including any other edits you may have made).
• git add
  AI: will stage only that specific file.

If you only want to commit and push the changes to QCLSRC/DEMO.CLLE, it’s better to specify the file name:

git add QCLSRC/DEMO.CLLE
git commit -m "Update demo CLLE program"
git push

If you want to include all changes you’ve made in the project, use:

git add .
git commit -m "Update project files"
git push

Choose the method that matches your intent! Specifying the file is safer if you only want to push that one change.
User: can you create and run one of those cooler versions with the && in them to run it all in one "statement"
AI: The command ran, but there were no changes detected in
AI: to commit—only
AI: is currently modified. If you want to commit and push both files (or just BUILD.CLLE), let me know and I can run the appropriate command for you.
User: Weird because it now has 23 lines and before it had 12 so it was changed.
AI: That is odd. The most likely reasons are:

• The file was not saved before running git add.
• The filename or case (QCLSRC/DEMO.CLLE) was mistyped.
• You are in the correct directory, but git is not detecting the change due to line endings or permissions.

To troubleshoot:

1. Make sure the file is saved in your editor.
2. Run:

   git status

   This will show which files are modified.
3. If
   AI: appears as modified, try:

   git add QCLSRC/DEMO.CLLE
   git commit -m "Update demo CLLE program"
   git push

4. If it still doesn’t work, try adding all changes:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Update project files"
   git push

Let me know what git status reports, and I’ll help you resolve it!
User: It shows build.clle when I do git status.
But then this happens:
git commit -m "Update Build CL program"
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes not staged for commit:
(use "git add ..." to update what will be committed)
(use "git restore ..." to discard changes in working directory)
modified: QCLSRC/BUILD.CLLE

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")
AI: This means you haven’t staged the changes yet. You need to run git add before git commit. Here’s what to do:

1. Stage the file:

git add QCLSRC/BUILD.CLLE

2. Commit the change:

git commit -m "Update Build CL program"

3. Push to GitHub:

git push

After running git add, your commit will succeed.
User: Ah, finally. :) Thanks
AI: You’re welcome! Glad it’s all working now. If you have any more questions or need help with git, coding, or documentation, just ask. Happy coding! 🚀
User: Can I include a large video of using this app on my git up? I know about the "Upload files" thing and have used that, but will it allow video too?
AI: You can upload a video file (such as .mp4, .mov, etc.) to your GitHub repository using the "Upload files" feature, and GitHub will store it just like any other file. However, there are some important considerations:

• GitHub has a file size upload limit of 100 MB per file via the web interface, and a recommended repository size limit of 1 GB.
• Large files (especially videos) can quickly bloat your repository and make cloning/pulling slower for everyone.
• For very large videos, GitHub recommends using Git Large File Storage (Git LFS), which is designed for handling big binary files.

Best practice:

• For short demo videos (under 100 MB), you can upload directly.
• For larger videos, use Git LFS or upload the video to a platform like YouTube or Vimeo and link to it from your README.

Let me know if you want instructions for Git LFS or linking to an external video!
User: When the fetch has begun to receive data from the host cgi, can we show a message "Loading resultSet..." ? I think in the error area is a good place since it gets reset/cleared
AI:

AI: 

AI: Now, when a fetch begins, the message "Loading resultSet..." will appear in the error area and clear automatically when the result is received or an error occurs. This gives users immediate feedback that the query is in progress.
User: I don't want it to appear until after the first fetch. Also now that I see this message before the first fetch, I'd like another message "Runing your request..." to appear upon the submit, and then the 2nd one "Loading resultSet..." after that first fetch
AI:

AI: 

AI: Your UI will now show "Running your request..." immediately upon submit, then switch to "Loading resultSet..." after the fetch begins, and clear the message when the data is received or an error occurs. This provides clear, step-by-step feedback to the user.
User: The Running your request message appears, and then I want it to wait for the fetch to return as it beings creating and loading the table with that data. Then once the table is rendered the loading should be cleared.
Right now the way it works, it shows Running your request and then immediately switched to Loading ResultSet, then once the fetch starts it clears the message. Can we wait until the fetch starts, then issue Loading the resultSet, then when the table is cleared, clear the message?
AI:

AI: 

AI: The last edit introduced a syntax error due to misplaced or missing braces. I will correct the structure so the try/catch block and function body are valid, and ensure the loading message logic works as intended.
AI:

AI: 

AI: There is still a syntax issue, likely due to an extra or misplaced closing brace. I will carefully review and correct the function structure to resolve the error and ensure the loading messages work as intended.
AI: The error is due to an extra closing brace at the end of your handleSqlSubmit function. I will remove the duplicate catch block and ensure the function is syntactically correct, while keeping your intended loading message logic.
AI:

AI: 

AI: The syntax issue is now fixed. Your loading messages will appear in the correct sequence:

• "Running your request..." on submit
• "Loading resultSet..." after fetch resolves
• Cleared after the table is rendered.

You can now test the improved user feedback flow.
User: Sorry I mean to ask for when the table is full not when it is cleared. Is that what you inferred?
AI: Yes, I inferred that you want the loading message to be cleared after the table is fully rendered (i.e., when the data is loaded and displayed), not when the table is cleared or emptied.

With the current logic, the loading message ("Loading resultSet...") is cleared immediately after renderTable(json, resultsDiv);—which is when the table is filled with the new data. This matches your intent: the message disappears as soon as the results are shown to the user. If you want any further adjustment (such as waiting for a specific DOM event or animation), let me know!
User: in populateSqlHistoryDropdown, the elipse to the end of the sql statements when they are longer than 80 characters. I'm wondering if we can reduce the font size slightly and maybe wrap the SQL statement in the dropdown so each line is variing size and shows up to 400 chacacters wordwrapped to the active width of the drop down itself?
AI: HTML elements in a dropdown do not support word wrapping or custom font sizes per option—text is always rendered on a single line, and long text is truncated with an ellipsis by the browser. This is a browser limitation. Alternatives: You can reduce the font size of the entire dropdown using CSS (but not per option). For true word-wrapping and multi-line display, you would need to replace the with a custom dropdown built from a styled

and

/
• elements, which is more complex.

Quick improvement:
You can set a smaller font size for the dropdown and increase its width, but the options will still not wrap. Here’s a CSS snippet you can add to your stylesheet:

#sqlHistoryDropdown {
  font-size: 0.9em;
  width: 100%;
  max-width: 600px;
}

Summary:

• Native options cannot word-wrap or show multi-line text. You can reduce font size and make the dropdown wider for better visibility. For full word-wrapping, a custom dropdown component is required. Would you like to proceed with the CSS improvement, or do you want a custom dropdown solution? User: Yes, but can we determing the number of characters that would fit and then limit it to say that number but if greater than that number insert the ... in 3 less spaces like you do now? AI: AI: AI: Now, the number of characters shown in each dropdown option is dynamically calculated based on the dropdown's width and font size. If a statement is longer than what fits, it will be truncated with an ellipsis, just as you requested. This makes the dropdown adapt to different screen sizes and styles. User: Did you need to create a style for this modification? I don't see anything in db2json.css that was changed--just checking. AI: No, there was no need to add or change any CSS for the SQL history dropdown truncation logic. The modification relies on JavaScript to dynamically measure the dropdown’s width and font size, then truncates the option text accordingly. The existing styles for the dropdown remain unchanged. If you want a more consistent appearance or want to control the dropdown width, you could add or adjust CSS, but it is not required for the truncation logic to work. User: Okay, the dropdown should be rerendered when ever the dropdown itself is resized. AI: AI: AI: The dropdown will now rerender its options whenever it is resized, using a ResizeObserver if available (with a window resize fallback for older browsers). No further manual CSS changes are needed for this behavior. Let me know if you want to adjust or test this further! User: You know what, just for nostallsia, let's set the errorDiv to an 5250 green screen green color during the Running your request and Loading resultSet and then set it back to the red when we clear it. AI: AI: AI: The errorDiv will now use a 5250 green background (#21C421, black text) during "Running your request..." and "Loading resultSet...", and revert to red (#B71C1C, white text) when cleared or on error. This adds a nostalgic 5250 feel to the loading states as requested! User: No, set the background to no color (in case of dark mode) and set the text color to green. That's what I meant. Sorry I wasn't clear. AI: AI: AI: The loading and running states now set the errorDiv text color to 5250 green (#21C421) with no background, and revert to red text (#B71C1C, no background) when cleared or on error. This will look good in both light and dark modes. Let me know if you want any further tweaks! User: The green should be much darker like a 5250 green screen color from the old AS/400 days AI: AI: AI: The loading and running states now use a much darker 5250 green (#008800) for the text, closely matching the classic AS/400 green screen color. Let me know if you want to fine-tune the shade further! User: Great. There is a bug. if not SQL statement is specified, it still sends a CGI request and the "Loading resultSet..." message appears and runs "forever". What can we do about this from a robust fix standpoint? AI: A robust fix should prevent the form from submitting (and any CGI request from being sent) if the SQL input is empty or only whitespace. This should be checked at the start of handleSqlSubmit. If the input is empty, show a user-friendly error message (in red) and do not proceed. Would you like me to implement this fix? User: I am actually getting the standard SQL error back as json. We did have that routing to the errorDiv prevously but now it just locks up (loops indefinately). Here's the JSCON being returned from the CGI call. So it looks like I may not be returning proper JSON when no attr and not data section is included. \n\n"error":{"sqlstate":"DB2JSON","msgtext":"No results generated."}' AI: Thanks for the detail. The issue is likely that when the backend returns only an error object (with no attr/data/dataset), the frontend code tries to parse and render a table, but the expected fields are missing, so it never reaches the error handler and appears to hang. A robust fix is to: Always check for an error property in the parsed JSON before trying to render a table. If error is present, display the error message in the errorDiv and do not attempt to render a table. Would you like me to implement this improved error handling in your frontend code? User: Yes but is that json valid json? AI: No, the JSON you posted is not valid JSON. Here’s why: Your example: \n\n"error":{"sqlstate":"DB2JSON","msgtext":"No results generated."}' It is missing the opening and closing curly braces { ... } for a JSON object. It starts with newlines and a property name, not a valid JSON structure. The single quote at the end is not valid in JSON (should be double quotes). A valid JSON error response should look like: { "error": { "sqlstate": "DB2JSON", "msgtext": "No results generated." } } If your CGI returns only the error property without the enclosing braces, the frontend’s JSON.parse will fail. The backend should always return a complete JSON object, even for errors. User: So the bounding { } are missing but the rest is fine? AI: Correct—the rest of the structure is fine, but without the bounding { }, it is not valid JSON. JSON must always be an object or array at the top level, so the error property must be wrapped in curly braces: Invalid: "error":{"sqlstate":"DB2JSON","msgtext":"No results generated."} Valid: { "error": { "sqlstate": "DB2JSON", "msgtext": "No results generated." } } If you add the curly braces, your error JSON will be valid. User: Got it. Thanks. AI: You're welcome! If you need help with backend error handling, JSON formatting, or any other improvements, just let me know. User: Considering the format of the JSON being processed by this rouitne, the "attr" and "data" nodes and the values of the attr, create a new .md file named jsondocs.md with as much information about the json structure that is returned. The target audience is developers so it can be cool, IT related jargon but not too contemporary as that gets a bit confusing. AI: A new file named AI: has been created. It documents the db2json JSON response structure, including details on the attr, data, dataset, and error nodes, with examples and developer notes in a style suited for IT professionals. Let me know if you want to add more legacy or platform-specific details! User: Ah, the js and html do handle that alternative format that includes "dataset" but db2json does not generate it. So it can be removed to avoid confusion. AI: AI: AI: References to the "dataset" wrapper have been removed from AI: to avoid confusion, since db2json does not generate that format. The documentation now accurately reflects only the formats your tool produces. Let me know if you need any further adjustments! User: Do that again, but this time remve all references to "dataset" include at the top of the jsondocs.md file AI: AI: AI: All references to "dataset" have been removed from AI: , including at the top and in all examples and descriptions. The documentation now only describes the actual JSON structure produced by db2json. Let me know if you need any further refinements! User: Add a compatability section to the readme.md file for the compatability of IBM i which is V7R1 and later and on PC/Mac or Linux any contemporary OS version AI: AI: AI: A Compatibility section has been added to your readme.md, specifying support for IBM i V7R1 and later, and for any contemporary PC, Mac, or Linux OS with a modern browser. Let me know if you want to further tailor the wording! User: In the readme.md file, I need to add a link to the jsondocs.md file we created. Can you add that link I already entered the narrative referring to the lick at the cursor location. AI: AI: AI: A Markdown link to AI: has been added in your AI: after the narrative referring to the link. The text now reads: "For a description of the JSON that is produced look here: JSON Structure Documentation". Let me know if you want to adjust the link text or placement! User: WIll that work on the github repo as people are viewing the readme.md file and click the link, will the jsondocs.md open up? Seems like it would since they are in the same folder AI: Yes, that will work on GitHub. Since AI: and AI: are in the same folder, clicking the [JSON Structure Documentation](jsondocs.md) link in the README will open AI: directly in the GitHub web interface. This is standard behavior for relative Markdown links in GitHub repositories. User: Can you rewrite the select jsondocs.md file section I have selected to make it more clear. I have a tendency to be too specific and sometimes redundant. In case you can't see the actual file, here is the text itself: If an error occurs, the response will contain an error node. In some cases the attr and/or data nodes may be there. Typically if the error occurs before any data is retrieved, the only error is returned. If the error occurs on the first fetch then both attr and error would be returned. Check for error if it is present, then something went wrong. The keys for error are the sqlstate and if available, any message text is returned in msgtext. When the SQL query statement fails due to configuration issue, authority or similar, you may see sqlstate: "DB2JSON" returned with the message text in msgtext since no SQL state is referrenced. AI: AI: AI: Here’s a concise rewrite of that section for clarity and to remove redundancy. I’ve applied it to AI: . Always check for error first and clarify possible combinations with attr/data. Explain sqlstate usage and the DB2JSON sentinel clearly. Updated text: If an error occurs, the response includes an error node. Always check for error first, before processing attr or data. If the failure happens before any rows are retrieved, only error is returned. If column metadata is known but the first row fetch fails, error may be returned alongside attr. Do not assume data is present when error exists. The error node contains the sqlstate and, when available, a human‑readable msgtext. For non‑SQL failures (for example, configuration, authority, or transport issues), sqlstate may be "DB2JSON" with details provided in msgtext. If you want it a touch more formal or to add a short example snippet, say the word. User: Under the heading ## Notes for Developers, it says all node and proerty names are upper case, and yet, attr, data, and all data properties are lowercase. Only the database's column name propteries under the "data" node are upper case. Can you review and clarify the meaning for me. AI: I'll update the "Notes for Developers" section in AI: to accurately describe key casing for nodes and row properties, making it clear that top-level nodes and metadata keys are lowercase while row keys reflect Db2 column names (often uppercase). AI: AI: AI: Here’s what I’ll do: clarify the casing rules so developers know exactly what to expect for node names and row keys. Updates made in AI: under “Notes for Developers”: Top-level nodes are lowercase: attr, data, error. Column metadata property names in attr are lowercase: name, type, length, decimals, allownull, colhdr. Row objects in data use keys exactly as Db2 returns the column names: Unquoted identifiers are typically UPPERCASE. Quoted identifiers or AS aliases preserve your specified case. Keep numeric type note and the guidance to check error first. This should remove the confusion and align the docs with the actual payload behavior. User: Add an additional example for 'error' when it is included with the 'attr' node. so readers can see what to expele. use SQL State 42704 "QCUSTCDT in COZTOOLS type *FILE not found." AI: AI: AI: Task: Add an additional error example with attr present to jsondocs.md. Changes made: Retitled the existing snippet to “Example: error only”. Added a new example showing error alongside attr with SQLSTATE 42704 and message “QCUSTCDT in COZTOOLS type *FILE not found.” You now have both cases documented so readers know what to expect when metadata is known but the first fetch fails. User: We currently have this for an error only result: "error": { "sqlstate": "22001", "msgtext": "String data, right truncation." } but wouldn't it be enclosed ir curly brackets when it is the only thing returned? AI: I'll update the documentation example to show a valid top-level JSON object for the "error only" case by wrapping it in curly braces. AI: AI: AI: Good catch. Yes—the “error only” response should be a valid top-level JSON object, so it must be enclosed in curly braces. I updated the example in AI: to: { "error": { "sqlstate": "22001", "msgtext": "String data, right truncation." } } This now reflects the actual response shape. User: I have trouble with plural vs singular grammar. Can you review and correct this statement if necessary. The example db2json.html file and its related js (javascript) illustrates how to handle these error results in code. AI: AI: AI: Here’s a clean correction with proper agreement and clearer wording: The example AI: file and its related JavaScript files illustrate how to handle these error responses in code. I’ve updated that line in AI: . User: Please add docs on the call-level parameters (non-CGI) for the DB2JSON C++ program that is run on the IBM i operating system. It should start out with something like "When the CGI environment is not detected..." Here is the call parameters: CALL PGM(DB2JSON/DB2JSON) PARM(&SQL &MYOUTPUT '*REPLACE') Parm 1: The SQL Statement to run Parm 2: The IFS Output File Parm 3: The optional Replace or Append data to the file. Only the first 2 characters of the replace parameter are used. Upper/lower case is ignored. It can be (-r or -a) or (*R or *A) R = Replace - Delete the file if it exists and write out the results to a newly created file. A = Add/Append to an existing file or create a new one if it doesn't exist Note: New files are created with CCSID(1208) UTF-8 AI: I'll add a dedicated "call-level usage (non-CGI)" section to AI: , replacing the placeholder and documenting the CALL interface and parameters as specified. AI: AI: AI: Task receipt: Add non-CGI call-level usage docs to AI: with parameter details. Checklist: Add section header and intro for non-CGI mode. Include example CALL. Document each parameter and allowed values. Note UTF-8 CCSID for new files. Actions taken: Inserted “Call-level usage (non-CGI)” section in AI: . Added example CL command and documented the three parameters: Parm 1: SQL statement. Parm 2: IFS output file path. Parm 3: Replace/Append option, first two chars only, case-insensitive (-R/-A, *R/*A), with behavior details. Included note about new files using CCSID(1208) UTF‑8. If you want, I can add a brief CL snippet showing variable setup (e.g., DCL &SQL, &MYOUTPUT) for completeness. User: The textarea id sqlInput contains zero or more SQL statements separated by a semi-colon. When no semi-colon is detected it assumes the entire thing is one sql statement. What I would like to do is some how highlight the sql statement on which the cursor/caret is contained by perhaps shading the text background. Is that supported in textarea elements? AI: Short answer: not natively. A textarea can’t style arbitrary ranges—only the selected text gets the browser’s selection highlight. Practical options: Overlay highlighter (no heavy deps) Put a positioned pre/div behind the textarea (same font, size, padding, line-height, white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word; pointer-events: none). Mirror the textarea’s text into it, wrapping the current statement range in a span/mark. Sync on input, click, keyup, selectionchange and on scroll (copy scrollTop/scrollLeft). Use your existing getSqlStatementAtCursor logic (or add a getStatementBounds to get start/end indices) to compute the highlight slice. Use a code editor component CodeMirror or Monaco both support marking ranges out of the box and give better SQL editing UX. If you want, I can wire the lightweight overlay approach into your current sqlInput with a small getStatementBounds helper and a mirror element, keeping your current UI intact. User: I thought so. I've been an tinymce user for decades but thought by now there'd be something built into HTML to do that with all the syntax highlighting I see on github and myriod other websites. What about that? Syntax highlighting. Is that a thing or has a similar solution to my last inquiry? AI: You’re right—native HTML doesn’t provide syntax highlighting (or range styling) in a textarea. What you see on GitHub is rendered code blocks, not editable textareas. Options: Static highlighting (read-only): Prism.js or highlight.js. Great for display, not for editing. Editable highlighting: Use a code editor library: CodeMirror (lightweight, SQL mode), Monaco (VS Code engine, heavier), or Ace. These handle tokenization, themes, keyboard nav, and selection out of the box. Overlay “mirror” approach: keep your textarea for input; place a positioned pre/div behind it that mirrors the text (same font/line-height/spacing) and injects spans for syntax colors and a shaded background for the current statement. Sync content, caret-based statement bounds (you already have getSqlStatementAtCursor), and scroll positions. Given your current setup, I’d suggest: If you want minimal dependencies: overlay mirror + simple SQL tokenizer and current-statement shading. If you want full editor features quickly: CodeMirror 6 with @codemirror/lang-sql, line wrapping on, modest theme; keep your form submit and history logic by reading/writing the editor value. Say the word and I’ll wire up either approach. User: For now, I think I will leave things as is. Thanks. AI: Got it. If you ever want to revisit it, I can wire up a lightweight overlay highlighter or drop in CodeMirror/Monaco for editable SQL highlighting with minimal changes. User: To support both method="get" and method="post" from an html form to the DB2JSON.CPP CGI program, I would like to create a new function that checks the REQUEST_METHOD environment variable and then reads the form data from which ever device it is set (the environment or stdin). To optimize things, I would like this new function to retrieve the "q" CGI variable's value from either methods and populate it. Its value should be pass by reference on a parameter to this new "getCGIInput" function. Note the new function should de-escape the content using the urlDecode function we already have. AI: AI: AI: I'll update main to use the new function so it retrieves the 'q' value for both GET and POST, replacing the old GET-only parsing. AI: AI: AI: Implementing a GET/POST-aware reader for the q parameter and wiring it into the CGI flow next. Checklist Add a new function that detects REQUEST_METHOD and reads form data from the right source (QUERY_STRING for GET, stdin for POST). Done Extract the q CGI variable and URL-decode it via existing urlDecode. Done Populate the value via pass-by-reference parameter. Done Replace GET-only logic in main to use the new function. Done Actions taken In AI: : Added new helper: bool getCGIInput(std::string& outSql) GET: reads QUERY_STRING, extracts q, then urlDecode POST: reads CONTENT_LENGTH bytes from stdin, treats as application/x-www-form-urlencoded, extracts q, then urlDecode Returns true if a non-empty q was found Updated the CGI branch in main to call getCGIInput(sqlStmt) instead of parsing only GET, and log the resulting length. This keeps existing CCSID/translation logic intact. If no q is provided, the existing empty-SQL path emits the error JSON (“No results generated.”). Try it (optional) GET: http://yourserver/.../DB2JSON.PGM?q=select%20*%20from%20qiws.qcustcdt POST (form-encoded body): q=select%20*%20from%20qiws.qcustcdt Checkpoint Files changed: 1 (DB2JSON.CPP) Build/lint: Local environment flags ‘QZHBCGI.h’ missing (expected outside IBM i); unrelated to this change. Behavior: Now supports both method="get" and method="post" for retrieving q. Requirements coverage New function detects REQUEST_METHOD and reads from env/stdin: Done Retrieves q and URL-decodes with urlDecode: Done Pass-by-reference population: Done Integrated into main: Done Notes Assumes POST uses application/x-www-form-urlencoded. If you later need JSON or multipart, we can extend getCGIInput to branch on CONTENT_TYPE. User: It could also use multipart/form-data that is sent. Does that make a huge difference? I've never used the application/x-www-form-urlencoded header. So I imagine it should support both or does that complicate things too much? AI: I'll extend the new getCGIInput function to also handle multipart/form-data POSTs by parsing the boundary and extracting the q field without URL-decoding (since multipart values aren't percent-encoded). AI: AI: AI: I extended the new reader to handle both POST encodings (multipart/form-data and application/x-www-form-urlencoded) plus GET; for a single text field like q this isn’t too complex. What changed getCGIInput(std::string& outSql) Detects REQUEST_METHOD. POST: Reads CONTENT_LENGTH bytes from stdin. If CONTENT_TYPE starts with multipart/form-data, parses the boundary, finds the part with Content-Disposition name="q", trims trailing CR/LF, and returns it as-is (multipart values aren’t percent-encoded). Otherwise treats it as application/x-www-form-urlencoded and extracts q via getQueryParm + urlDecode. GET: reads QUERY_STRING and extracts q via getQueryParm + urlDecode. main now uses getCGIInput(sqlStmt) for CGI mode. Notes multipart/form-data adds boundary parsing, but for a simple text field it’s manageable (now implemented). Edge cases handled: quoted/unquoted boundary, CRLF vs LF separators, missing/short reads via CONTENT_LENGTH. Not covered: nested multipart, Content-Transfer-Encoding variations (rare for browsers), or file uploads (not needed for q). If q is missing/empty, existing flow returns the same JSON error (“No results generated.”). If you ever want to accept application/json bodies (e.g., {"q":"..."}), we can add a small branch on CONTENT_TYPE to parse that too. User: I've written several file upload handlers for multipart/form-data and they work great. But yes we're talking 1 and potentiall up to a ...