Re: Best way of using Service programs.

On Thu, 2006-02-16 at 15:29 -0500, Barbara Morris wrote:
> Steve Richter wrote:
> > 
> > you dont have to recompile your modules, but you should recreate all
> > your programs and service programs that use the service program the
> > procedure is being added to.
> > 
> 
> That would only be necessary if you added the new procedure to the
> binder source incorrectly.  Adding a procedure should never force a
> recreate, as long as you always add new exports to the end of the binder
> source.
> 
> The only programs that need recreating are the ones that have been
> changed to call the new procedure.
> 

Perhaps if we think like a make utility this will make more sense.  Any
RPGLE program depends not only on any files that it uses, and it's own
source member, but also on the copy book member.  In other words it
needs those other objects to exist before it can be created.

The typical make file process is to examine each dependent object and
determine if any of them have changed.  If so, run the routine to
rebuild the program.  This means that if the copy book is newer, then
anything dependent on it is out of date and should be recreated.

So, what is meant by 'newer'?  Generally, make routines just compare
change dates.  If object A depends on object B, and object B is changed
after object A, then object A is out of date, and needs to be rebuilt.

In the case of iSeries, there are at least two times where this might
not be the case.  object A is only out of date with respect to a
externally described file when the record format level ID's do not
match.

Service program signatures probably fall into the same category.  Any
program that depends on a service program is not necessarily out of
date, just because the service program is newer than the program.

I think the real issue that the OP is referring to is that their change
management system (make utility) hasn't been enhanced to deal with the
service program signatures.  It just wants to recompile any objects that
are older than any dependent object.

First suggestion, don't make anything dependent on the copy book
members.  Changing a copybook member doesn't _automatically_ mean that
every program that depends on it is out of date.  

Second suggestion, contact your change management vendor and put in an
enhancement request for them to add proper support for service programs
signatures, if they don't do so already.