A save file is a binary package of one or more objects, in a special format for OS/400 or IBM i. A save file might be compressed, and it can contain objects or a library or some IFS files/directories. The structure of a save file is not documented in detail, but do not worry. IBM i knows what to do and checks the integrity of the save file.
Usually, you would use RSTLIB or RSTOBJ to restore data from a save file created with SAVLIB or SAVOBJ (use the corresponding command!). Due to some security restrictions on PUB400, these commands are locked and we provided some special commands, which will align differing user names or access settings. Let us assume we have a save file named EXPPGM in library YOURLIB2 which was created by SAVLIB:
Enter the command RESTLIB and press F4 key.
This will show a screen named "restore library from SAVF" with three paramters. Enter the name of the saved library (which will be shown with the command DSPSAVF), as this is important. The library within the save file may have a different name than the save file! Also give tha name and library of the save file, then press enter.
This will start a background process to verify the data your entered. If you do not see a message, enter DSPMSG command to see if the RESTLIB or background process has some information for you!
If name / library of your save file was not entered correctly, you will receive appropriate message. Otherwise, the save file is being checked and - if all fine - will be restored to a special library named TMPxxxxxx. Your user profile will become owner of this library.
Now you can use STRPDM to navigate to that library and grab the objects needed into your normal libraries.
Please remember to DLTLIB TMPxxxxxx later to save space :)
The same procedure can be done with RESTOBJ for save files created by SAVOBJ.
