RE: More cycle, yes, more cycle

Colin Williams <Williamsc@technocrats.co.uk> wrote:

>Cycle Processing simple. I only ever find it simple
>when used to do very straight-forward updates or
>reports. Introduce level breaks and matching records,
>and everything goes doo-lally

Only if you don't do it right. I happen to think that the dreaded level
break and matching records features are the real strengths of the cycle,
and guarantee that things do _not_ go doo-lally. I've seen a number of
examples of real life matching routines written in structured code that
hiccupped because the programmer overlooked some of the subtle traps that
lie there and can squeeze past testing. Once upon a time all our master
files were on tape and every programmer worth his or her salt could rip off
a matching records program (having first produced 6 pages of flowcharts).
Nowadays, however, programmers are less familiar with the process and more
likely to make mistakes. The cycle guarantees that the matching logic is
correct.

I do agree with Colin that the cycle is also good for small simple
programs, too. I often use it in one off programs that will never see the
light of day again. In this case the arguments about confusing the next
programmer do not apply. During the Easter weekend just gone we were doing
some major conversion work. I must have written a dozen QND programs during
the weekend and about a third of them used the cycle. In one case it was a
personal challenge. "That could be done in 4 lines of RPG," said my
colleague John Tisot. In fact it took 5, but he couldn't shorten it either.
Without the cycle it would have been a fat software monster of at least 8.
:-)

Dave Kahn, ABB Steward Ltd.


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