Re: [Re: RPGILE V4.3 Gotcha]

Read my response to Hans,

I have read a LOT of the manuals, but far from all of them.  I have read
the CLs cover to cover, DDS, and a lot more (gave a partial list to my
response to hans).

The point is, I should NOT have to read the manual on how the system
multiplies A * B * C.  I should just have to read the manual to figure out
how to get it to do it.

If I told my son to multiply 12.50 then times 1.50 then times 0.825 and
he told me the answer was 1, he would be wrong, because the answer is
1.54.  If any compiler I had ever used had given me an answer of 1 it would
of been wrong, and none have.  But, why am I to expect RPG to suddently
decide the answer is 1, when the rest of the world knows it's not?

Perhaps you don't understand my point.

When I wanted to multiply two numbers together, I saw that it was MULT.
I read that it required two numbers to multiply and a result field.  And it
worked
as advertised.  I did not have to go read the manual to determine if RPG was
smart enough to know that 1.5 x 1.5 = 2.25, I figured it was smart enough to
figure that out, and it was.  As in every other language I program in.

Now I see they have this nifty new command called Eval, that lets me string
together formulas.  I see the format.  Should I know expect that RPG had a
brain tumor and forgot that 1.5 x 1.5 = 2.25 and not 2?

Regards,

Jim Langston

Colin Williams wrote:

> I have to say that I agree with Hans.
>
> What do you mean you shouldn't have to read the manual. They are there
> to be used, there's nothing embarrassing about refering to the manual,
> and I can't understand why some people think there is.
> If I hadn't picked up the CL manual all those years ago, I'd probably
> still be an operator today.
>
> How do you learn new tachniques, without reading up on areas that you
> are not currently using.?

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