RE: Hi

Alan,

How to get started?  Pretty much the manuals is all I know.  And of
course, this list.  There is also a book: C for RPG Programmers.
Limited info at:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0962874361/qid=1031681208
/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-6939392-6501705?v=glance&s=books

It was published in 1992 so doesn't have any of the new stuff in it.
And is "C" only.

Regarding using C/C++ for all of your AS/400 programming, I'd advise
against it.  RPG is just to darn good at File and Device (eg: DSPF's)
manipulation.  And C pretty much sucks at those things.

On the other hand, C is awesome at buffer manipulation, string
handling, API Useage, pointers and other "strange stuff".  This is
where it really shines.

Another reason to use C is cross platform compatibility and not
reinventing the wheel.  Need a compression library?  ZLIB is written in
C and very easy to migrate to the AS400.  Working with tiff images?
TIFFLIB (or is it LIBTIFF?) is my choice.  Need a non-IBM spell checker
that you can imbed in your code? SSCE is very good (but was not an easy
migration).  How about sockets?  I brought my Windows sockets
encapsulation over from the Windows world with very little effort.

There are many other examples of "things" that where written for other
platforms in C and are easy to move to the AS400.  In general, look for
stuff that comes from the Unix world as it tends to be an easier
migration.

BUT, would I write an Order Entry application in C or C++?  Not a
chance. And these days, Cornerstone Communications (my Company) is much
more of a C++ shop than an RPG shop.  We still do our screen and file
i/o in RPG.  Why?  Because it is easier!

JMHO,
Bob Crothers
Cornerstone Communications
http://www.cstoneindy.com




-----Original Message-----
From: c400-l-admin@midrange.com [mailto:c400-l-admin@midrange.com]On
Behalf Of alan
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 8:39 AM
To: c400-l@midrange.com
Subject: Re: [C400-L] Hi

Amen!

I'm just getting started with C. Haven't done too much, but it's loaded
on my system where I work per my request from way back.

The NewsWire newsletter had some comments about C a few days ago
advocating it as a working language. I wrote the author (???), who
turns
out to work for the makers of this package Rio that converts RPG to C.
(Not RPGLE yet, though). I asked about materials for getting going with
C on the iSeries/As400, but there aren't many at all. He said their
programmers used the regular IBM guide on it.

Any recommendations? I am pretty good at using the IBm guides, but I
like learning shortcuts.

--Alan



----- Original Message -----
From: <jan.maes@1s.be>
To: <c400-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 11:41 AM
Subject: [C400-L] Hi


| Hi,
|
| I've just joined this list and wanted to say hello..
| Nice to see some people are programming the iSeries in C/C++
| (just as I was starting to think I was the only one :) )
|
| Regards,
|
| Jan
|
|
|
|
| _______________________________________________
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