RE: what is unclear about 01 02 03 -Reply

["Walden Leverich" <walden@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry to say, but l-hand indicators can be _easier_ to understand than
"structured" code. Compare

        key     chain   rcd             90
90              leave

with

        key     chain   rcd             90
        *in90   move            rcdnf
        rcdnf   ifeq    *on
                leave
                endif

You tell me which is easier to read.

-Walden

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
[mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Buck Calabro
Sent: Friday, May 01, 1998 4:29 PM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: what is unclear about 01 02 03 -Reply


> <snip>
> >>      C   01 02 03                EXSR SR001
> >>
> >>Can left side indicators be all wrong?  I know, I know.  I won't
> >>use
> >> them, but really, what is unclear about that line of code?
> <snip>
> >Exactly what is an 01, 02, & 03?

For geezers like me who know that an indicator is a BOOL variable
with a number instead of a name, the lack of clarity comes from not
knowing what bit of code set each indicator on or off: the example
was carefully crafted to completely obliterate any means of
understanding the code (which was the point, IIRC!)

Even the subroutine name is disguised.

People have railed against the use of indicators for *EVER because
the indicator number does not help understanding the intent of the
code.  Without researching the rest of the program, we'll never
understand this line of code.  Us geezers have to learn to write more
like:

     C           AMT$      IFGT WARN$
     C           CUSTCD    ANDLTBESTCD
     C           REGION    ANDEQMIDWST
     C                     EXSR WARN
     C                     ENDIF

which isn't crystal clear without comments, but it's _better_
I'm personally happy that there are RPGers among us who don't use
left hand indicators, because it means that they're using more
meaningful names instead!
<grin and duck>


Buck Calabro
Commsoft, Albany, NY
mailto:mcalabro@commsoft.net

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