|
Hello all,
Thanks for all the pointers on ILE COBOL. I think I'm going in the right
direction. Just to run some thoughts by the group here I'm doing a
communications application that has commitment control so I'm definitely going
to be using activation groups. (So commitment control will be at
the activation group level) If I heard everyone right here I think
the consensus is that service programs are basic functions (i.e. date routines,
File opens and I-O operations) and other modules are bound into a
program for more "company" specific processing. Well, I feel a little
more comfortable with ILE I just needed some concepts to get me in the right
directions. I appreciate all your help.
Rick
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: COBOL ILE
Greetings Geir;
The old adage is good - If
it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Start when there is a major change to do,
or a complete new system or rewrite. Start by using the date, time and
timestamp data types in your files and programs. Utilize the intrinsic
functions. The can all be done without changing a bunch in the
program.
You can simply take your old code, and change the type to CBLE
(or is it CBLLE? not at work, can't remember) and recompiling. This will
USUALLY work fine, but there are some issues where ILE COBOL works different
than OPM COBOL. I don't remember what exactly they are, but it has to do
with running in different activation groups.
ILE is best for modular
programming, and that means breaking up the programs into modules that do a
particular function. You might look at the procedures in your programs and
seeing if there is common code in them. Put the common code in to a
module (each module being unique) and then putting the modules together in
service programs. (Please see the other message I
posted)
Then you have to make a choice about binding the program
modules together. There is "static" binding and "dynamic" binding.
The difference in programming is how the call works. The difference in
compiling is that "static" is bound into the program at compile time and the
1st run is faster. If you call a module 1,000,000 times each night from
another program (new instances), you will get better performance with "static"
binding. You will also have to recompile all programs that have the
module bound to them if/when that module changes.
Dynamic
binding happens at run time. This means that the first call will be
slower as the AS - iSeries 400 resolves the binding on the fly. All
subsequent calls to that module will be just as fast as the "static" bound
program. The nice thing about "dynamic" binding is that you can change the
module being called, and the next execution of the calling program will pick
up the change. This might be the best choice if a module is used in a
lot of programs. You would then have the ability to make the change one
time, and then all the programs that use the module would be up to date the
next time they run. Great for those common functions such as (for our
shop) interest calculation changes and applying payments to
accounts.
You also can take advantage of activation groups and
pointers, if you want to get into those things. Pointers can be great
for system programmers who would like to use some of IBM's API programs to get
lists of spool files, users, etc. It took some time to get my mind
around the pointer concept, but I do like the function.
There is
a bunch more, but then there always is. Hope this helps you get
started.
Jim Essinger
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Student Loan Fund
of Idaho
Work: 208-452-4058
Fax:
208-452-5848
A
t 09:30 AM 5/28/2001 +0200, you wrote:
Hello,
Rick.
You are obviously in a
situation just like a lot of us old 'OPM'ers'. We know that ILE
exists, and we recognize the advantages, but how the h... shall we get
started?? If anybody out there have good ideas, adresses to useful
web-sites etc. I would greatly appreceate it.
Mvh.
Geir Kildal
"chocolate_thunder1"
<chocolate_thunder1@yahoo.com>
Sent by: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com
26.05.01 04:50
Please respond to COBOL400-L
To:
<COBOL400-L@midrange.com>
cc:
Subject: COBOL ILE
Hello All,
I'm trying to find out more information on COBOL ILE on the AS/400.
I'm not new to AS/400 COBOL but very new to ILE and some of the
concepts. (Binding directories, Service Programs, etc) I have a
project that is coming up and I would love to do it in ILE but I need
to get a comfort level with it first. I don't want to just write
OPM's and then make them ILE I don't believe you get as much bang for
the buck that way. I would really appreciate any
suggestions!!
Thanks in advance
Rick Smith
+---
| This is the COBOL/400 Mailing List! | To submit a new message, send your
mail to COBOL400-L@midrange.com. | To subscribe to this list send email to
COBOL400-L-SUB@midrange.com. | To unsubscribe from this list send email to
COBOL400-L-UNSUB@midrange.com. | Questions should be directed to the list
owner/operator: david@midrange.com +---END
|
midrange.com
