RE: VRPG And/Or Java -- MIDRANGE-L

Bob,
I would like to comment on your statement about VA/RPG (noted below by >>).

VA/RPG is RPG IV, both compilers are being kept in synch as must as possible.
It has built-in functions and you can do procedures under it, I have done them.
Only a few opcodes are not available.  And there are new opcodes to handle the
GUI stuff.

Maybe I am just mis-understanding your statement...

--  My Two Cents Worth
------------------------------------------------------
Scott P. Johnson                sjohnson@highsmith.com
Programmer/Analyst
Highsmith Inc.
W5527 Hwy 106, PO BOX 800
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0800
TEL:  920-563-9571              FAX:  920-563-7395
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From:   Bob Cozzi[SMTP:BobCozzi@ibm.net]
Sent:   Wednesday, August 27, 1997 9:08 AM
To:     'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject:        RE: VRPG And/Or Java

John,

I've heard George mention that they (i.e., the Torolab) were going to 
consider targeting ByteCode with all the ILE compilers. If the AS/400(e) 
can support that stuff, and still give us the performance we need, then 
great. If it can't don't every consider it. I suppose a V4R2 initial test 
release could be planned by now, but probably V4R4 before we see something 
real.  So the answer I'd advocate is, "it depends".

If anybody wants Java, then perhaps a CVTRPGJAVA command is what's needed. 
Will it work with database? Will it work with packed decimal data? Will 
there be a CHAIN operation? If not, then don't bother... And of course, 
will there be subfile support? Subfile support is, of course, a DDS issue, 
not an RPG issue, but we often combine the two. Will there be a CVTDDSJAVA 
command as well? Batch-mode RPG to Java doesn't thrill me too much...

>>  As for VA/RPG, I suppose that stuff could generate Java code, but I still 
>>  wish it were an RPG IV-based language (i.e., built-in functions and 
>>  procedure-based instead of custom opcodes) then maybe I'd look at it...

What really seems strange, however, is that the value of running RPG code 
on other platforms is about as useful as... (insert your own slang here...) 
I mean, why spend all this time trying to get RPG platform independent, 
when we want it on the AS/400 and we want a GUI on the AS/400. We may want 
to "play" with RPG at home, and yes, something like the ASNA product could 
be good enough for that, but come on, Do I really need to run my Accounting 
package on my USRobitics PalmPilot? Not likely. But what I do need is to be 
able to give my users a drop-down selection listbox for a list of states. 
Right now I have to monkey around with a pop-up window, and so on and so 
on...

<snip>

So to re-answer your question, I suppose the ByteCode thing would be 
interesting, but a CVTRPGJAVA would be even more interesting. Particularly 
if they get that to work.

Bob Cozzi

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