Re: HereDoc

Hi, Mark:

This "heredoc" stuff seems oriented to scripting languages. (PHP is interpreted, not compiled, so it is technically a "scripting" language.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_document

If the trouble is mainly dealing with all the embedded double-quotes inside string literals, perhaps you could just do something like this:

updateStmt =
'Update MCPSRV Set SESCLS="O", ' +
' semdat = Date_As_Cymd(Current_Date), ' +
' semtim = time_As_Hms(Current_Time), seuser = user, ' +
' sempgm = "SQL" ' +
'Where SEICD9="V2020Z";
updateStmt = %xlate('"' : '''' : updateStmt;


This uses the double-quote character where ever a single quote is needed in the final string, and then replaces the double-quote character with the single quote character, using the %xlate built-in function.

This seems to me to be the "best simple" solution to this problem.

HTH,
Mark S. Waterbury

> On 1/20/2011 9:46 AM, Mark Murphy/STAR BASE Consulting Inc. wrote:

Some time ago I learned PHP, and was introduced to a concept called
HereDoc. Essentially a way to insert a string inline. Didn't really see
the use of it, and never really thought about it much until now. I have a
piece of code where it would be highly useful for improving the
readability of my program. Unfortunately The use is in an RPG program,
and the feature does not exist there.

Anyway here is what I was thinking. I am using dynamic SQL in a
particular program (so that I can use set schema to direct unqualified
references to the environment of my choice). Some of the SQL commands are
quite complex, and I have to double quotes in my string literals. the
whole thing degenerates into a bunch of extra quotes and continuation
marks that would not be necessary with a HereDoc.

Consider the following (very simple, but serves to make the point):

updateStmt =
'Update MCPSRV Set SESCLS=''O'', ' +
' semdat = Date_As_Cymd(Current_Date), ' +
' semtim = time_As_Hms(Current_Time), seuser = user, ' +
' sempgm = ''SQL'' ' +
'Where SEICD9=''V2020Z''';

With a HereDoc I could write something like:

updateStmt =<<<DOC
Update MCPSRV Set SESCLS='O',
semdat = Date_As_Cymd(Current_Date),
semtim = time_As_Hms(Current_Time), seuser = user,
sempgm = 'SQL'
Where SEICD9='V2020Z'
<<<DOC

Even with a simple example the lack of superfluous quotes and continuation
marks makes the second far more readable than the first.

Any thoughts?

Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx