RE: DSPPGM API

["Simon Coulter" <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Jim,

The API you are using IS the correct way to determine the number of parameters. 
 You are 
getting a range returned because RPG does not require you to pass all the 
parameters defined on 
the *ENTRY PLIST.  This feature of RPG has existed since RPG III on System/38 
(but I don't know 
the first release).  It is a useful way of extending a programs function 
without breaking any 
existing code.

Not all HLL's support this feature e.g., CL.

The range of parameters returned should be 0 to 'n'.  (The maximum value of 'n' 
is 256 but as I 
recall 'n' should be set to the number of parameters defined on the *ENTRY 
PLIST.)  Most RPG 
programs are written to assume that the number of parameters defined on *ENTRY 
PLIST will be 
the number of parameters passed.  In this case you could assume that the 
maximum value in the 
range is the number of parameters expected by the program.  You still need to 
worry about the 
type of parameters since they are all passed by reference.

If you are writing RPG programs that make use of this feature then you check 
the program status 
data structure for the number of parameters passed (*PARMS for RPG III and 
%PARMS for RPG IV -- 
although *PARMS will work here too).

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

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//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2232.9)
> Date: Fri, 09 Apr 99 08:39:01 -0700
> From: "Jim Knight" <jknight@rei.com>
> To: "'Midrange Users list'" <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
> Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: RE: DSPPGM API

> 
> Great, thanks. 
> How about from a CL or C program?
> I have a C socket that can call multiple programs
> or commands.  The socket needs to know how many
> parms the program being called requires.
> 
> Jim
> jknight@rei.com
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:       Kevin Watkins [SMTP:kevinw@hurtcompanies.com]
> > Sent:       Friday, April 09, 1999 8:11 AM
> > To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > Cc: jknight@rei.com
> > Subject:    Re: DSPPGM API
> > 
> > *PARMS in the SDS or %PARMS (built-in function)???
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Jim Knight <>
> > To: 'Midrange Users list' <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, April 08, 1999 4:11 PM
> > Subject: DSPPGM API
> > 
> > 
> > Does anyone know of a way to retrieve the actual number of entry parameters
> > for an RPGILE program?  We are using the QCLRPGMI API, but it returns a
> > range of parameters instead of the actual number.
> > 
> > Thanks in advance
> > 
> > 
> > 
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