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Girish

Start at the Programming section in InfoCenter. There's a subsection on APIs (& CL, I think). The API Programming manual is there, as well a number of examples in various languages. Be sure to study the API Concepts section.

All the APIs are documented for use with C or C++. You'll need to get used to that syntax to understand better what they do. There are, however, a number of /COPY members for RPG and RPGLE in library QSYSINC. Some (in RPG/LE) you can use as is, others you may need to make a copy and add the non-fixed length parts. C can include a structure inside one of your own - AFAIK RPG/LE cannot do this - others may know better. This ability lets you not worry about release changes as much.

Very little is documented about using CL/LE for APIs, but it works quite well for those that use a user space or return data in a variable.

The documentation in InfoCenter includes API Concepts. Get to know user spaces very well, and how they are used in APIs.

If you use RPG/LE, learn about pointers - you'll have a much easier time of it. And you can have a pointer to a user space in RPG, allowing for automatic growth of what amounts to a character (or hex) buffer.

I agree with Al, to a point, that APIs are tough. But not all of them are. All they are is programs or service programs. The interface is defined, and you need to be careful to follow it exactly. But that's nothing new for anything we get from another developer. Once you get your feet a little wet, you'll be fine.

Some are definitely complex - the retrieve file description & query APIs are daunting, and almost impossible in RPG, since they are so dependent on pointers, and nested structures. Spooled file APIs, which offer a lot of functionality, are really a pain.

Enjoy!

Vern

At 06:37 PM 1/30/2003 -0500, you wrote:

Could anyone suggest a good reference web site for using API's. I see soem great ones referenced but wanted to see what else is
available what parametrs to use, any systems requirements and then (if I'm not asking for too much already ) examples...

thanks in advance...

Girish


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