Re: Java and OO Concepts

Thorbjoern Ravn Andersen wrote:

I'd like to see some of your code to learn from - do you have anything put up for public consumption? (I could not locate one of your books which I could look inside to see any non-trivial exampels).

I don't have a ton of Java code public, but my RPG is everywhere. Read any of my recent code on RPG over at MC Press Online - I have examples of arrays and monitor and embedded SQL, all sorts of practical code.

That's just syntax - a few helper routines should do wonders.

e = plus(multiply(a, b), minus(c,d));

They get inlined anyway if they are small enough.

I don't consider the above readable, especially as compared to (a * b) + (c - d).

I am not talking about customizing software for a given customer, but having more flexible ways of dealing with changing specifications in code. Perhaps I need to think it more over before bringing it up again.

I don't see that as a different business requirement, really. Customer needs change on a daily basis, so changing for customer A in 2008 vs. 2009 is really not much different than customizing for Customer A vs. Customer B. It requires analysis and modification.

I think it is fine to have and share an opinion for others to learn from. I am unfamiliar with the MRP term, so perhaps you will elaborate on that, and what tools you use to do this so fast for a customer? Does RPG have tools which are stronger or faster than e.g. Cobol or Java?

MRP standards for Material Requirements Planning and it's the process whereby demand (customer orders, manufacturing requirements, etc.) gets turned into supply orders (purchase orders, shop orders, etc.). It's the primary planning function (along with capacity planning) for any manufacturing shop.

The tool I use is RDi, the latest incarnation of WDSC. I do it fast because RPG is a procedural language and it lets me quickly and easy divide business processes into manageable, callable modules which can then be used to build those business processes. Procedural languages are better for coding business procedures, especially ones that change often. OO is better for static problem sets like translations and user interface formatting. It's just a matter of the right tool for the right job.

My COBOL clients are probably as fast in COBOL as I am in RPG, except RPG /free in particular has outstanding support for embedded SQL, and when you need SQL there's nothing like being able to use it right inside your RPG.

Joe