RE: Welcome new members

John - I AM refering to RPG iv,  along with RPG/400. 

I think it is odd that 30 years after COBOL '68, RPG still doesnt handle these basic constructs:

COBOL '68 supported the following (which are critical to structured code):

RPG IV supports none of these:
       
        Indented code

        long field names (and be able to use them in calcs)

        record handling

        error trapping in free-format calcs (like EVAL x=y * z ON ERROR do something else)

        data replication:
move CORR to replicate data to fields of same name in other records (and the converse: unlike RPG, dont replicate the data if the programmer doesnt want to!)

I'm not saying to stop using RPG iv, I just think it is ironic when RPGers think a language that has more to offer is "old fashioned".

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon.Paris@halinfo.it [mailto:Jon.Paris@halinfo.it]
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 2:45 PM
To: COBOL400-L@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Welcome new members

I love COBOL but .....

 >> In another 10 years, RPG _might_ match COBOL 68 features if RPG
development continues at      current pace.

You have to be talking about RPG/400 right - which hasn't been enhanced since
V2R2.  RPG IV has many features that go way beyond the current COBOL
implementation on the 400 (ANSI '85). The vast majority of your other points are
also addressed to some degree by this version of RPG and more will be added.

I know of a number of shops doing new work in both COBOL and RPG - perhaps it is
different where you are.

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