RE: Numeric parameters between RPG progr

Pete wrote:
>This discussion WAS about ILE RPG. The problem was (is?) that the D spec >does
not allow the for specifying the storage type for a numeric field when >the
declaration uses Like() in order to base the field on an external data
>definition. This was a very frustrating limitation in V3R1 (my last
>significant RPG development project). Has this been changed?

Pete:  No, we still don't allow overriding the internal
format when defining a numeric field using keyword LIKE.

However, other features added since V3R1 can help you
achieve a good degree of data independence.  Look at
prototyped procedures.  A procedure prototype can define
a parameter LIKE some DB field.  Fields passed as reference
parameters can also be defined like that DB field.  This
way, you don't have to worry at all about the internal
format of the numeric field or what format the parameter
expects since you know the type and format will already
match.

Let's look at VALUE parameters.  Chances are that most
parameters passed to a procedure are not changed by the
procedure.  Or rather, you don't want the procedure to
change the value.  So, most parameters can be specified
as VALUE parms.  VALUE parms do not require exact format
and length match.  Here again, you don't have to worry
about numeric data format since the appropriate conversions
will be done for you automatically.

I certainly agree that we should allow overriding the
internal format on LIKE definitions, but you don't have
to wait for that to achieve better data independence
today.

Cheers!  Hans

Hans Boldt, ILE RPG Development, IBM Toronto Lab, boldt@ca.ibm.com
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