Re: Reasons for using RPGIV

LOL!!

All good reasons and some probably truths. But I don't recommend telling this person the negative qualities she possesses, as in numbers 1 and 2!!!

Depending on the release, RPG IV has much simpler code possibilities for handling dates - the date functions added at V5R2 are just a delight. And you can do stuff in one line of code that used to take 3 to 6 lines.

Other BIFs afford must simpler coding. And as the release level rises, they get ever better and better. The %dec() function, for example, eventually was able to convert from a character string. Very cool!

I might suggest a 2-phase approach. Leave free-form for a bit later. Be satisfied with the results of CVTRPGSRC (or even better, Linoma's tool set). Introduce the new functionality that makes life much easier. Finally, as all are coming around, start looking at free-form across the board. Especially with embedded SQL - a true delight, compared to what I remember about RPG III.

Qualified data structures come to mind. They give you a lot of flexibility for the right situation.

One of the main cases in favor of free form is that younger developers will be more comfortable - that's probably NOT a good argument in this case. Even if it IS true.

One of the main benefits of free-form might be the ability to pretty-print your code - use indentation for contents of IF-ENDIF blocks, etc. It will take time to demonstrate that it IS nicer, because a veteran such as this person is USED to the other way and feels quite at home there.

Of course, I suppose you haven't tried to bring in WDSC yet? :-)

Good luck, Steve
Vern

On 4/12/2011 5:29 PM, Monnier, Gary wrote:

1. She is afraid to leave her comfort zone. ILE is viewed as
frightening.

2. She doesn't want to learn D-specs. She is very comfortable with
I-specs.

3. Field sizes can be larger. They don't have to have starting and
ending entries only the length and data type.

4. Field names can be longer. This makes internal documentation a bit
clearer.

4. Pointers to user spaces are supported. This can really speed things
up.

5. ILE is "extensible". For example, you can bind in C functions to
verify an email address is formatted correctly via REGEX.

Or you can write your own functions that can be called recursively
without abnormally ending the program.

6. RPG/400 does not support BIFs. %TRIMx() and %LEN() are very handy
when handling strings.

7. API usage is much easier.

8. Internal documentation can be made clearer. A subroutine named
SendAnErrorMessageToTheUser says a lot more than SAEMTTU.

9. There are numerous ways to solve a problem.

10. As a JDE shop you may one day end up an Oracle shop. Better get
used to a language that uses a ; to end a statement.





Gary



-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of sjl
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 2:55 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Reasons for using RPGIV



I am involved in a philosophical argument with one of the lead
developers in

the JDE/Oracle V5R4 shop where I have been working as a consultant for
the

last five years.



If I understand her correctly, her argument is that as a JDE shop that
we

should NOT be using RPGIV at all, and that we should be writing /all/
code

in RPG/400. I don't necessarily disagree, in the case of simple mods to
an

existing JDE program, but I would argue that /all/ new development
should be

done in free-form RPGIV.



Background:

We currently have a mixture of OPM and RPGIV code.



Some of the RPGIV is programs that have simply been run through
CVTRPGSRC to

convert them to fixed-form ILE source, other RPGIV code includes several


including entire sub-systems which have been written entirely in
free-form

RPGIV utilizing service programs and binding source.



Other than hitting the RPG/400 compiler limits on the number of arrays,

tables, and files (which necessitates converting the program to RPGIV in


order for it to compile successfully), she wants me to present five

compelling reasons to justify the use of RPGIV, particularly free-form
RPGIV

code.



Any thoughts? I need ammunition!



- sjl