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midrange.com
Phil
Our solution here at CMI involves a tagged pair concept for passing
information to RPG programs. Our data is exchanged with a parameter in the
RPG programs with the following format:
ID1=Value1<tab>ID2=Value2<tab>ID3=...<crlf>ID1=Value1<tab>...
We chose the Tab and CRLF simply because they are not regularly part
of data values and are easily produced in the keyboard (yes, the multiline
text box has been a issue). Flat text editors, like notepad, show the data
quite well and imbedding the control characters in HTML has no impact.
We use a horizontal tab as a field delimiter and carriage return/line
feed as a record delimiter. This format has been highly useful and can be
coded in most languages. We have written routines to parse the information,
converting dates and numerics when needed. We then modify our existing RPG
programs with /COPY statements and create new subroutines to post values to
program variables and perform the proven business logic, data retrieval and
posting. Most programs require a parsing subroutine to process the incoming
parameter string and another subroutine to return the results in the same
parameter. High demand programs are coded with a return opcode whereas
rarely used ones simple turn on the LR indicator.
We have been using this technique to integrate with many different
platforms, from Web apps to custom interfaces and GUI front ends. We have
reserved a set of Tag IDs for program flow and execution and developed
specialized front end programs to control job stacks and 24hr execution. We
use data areas to keep statistics and interface flags. Stats show hit
counts. Configured counts allow limit of concurrency. There is actually
more to it than this and this certainly isn't the only available approach,
but hopefully this gets you thinking in the right direction.
Good Luck and keep us posted,
Ken Slaugh (707) 795-1512 x118
Chouinard & Myhre, Inc.
AS/400 Professional Administrator/MSE
Client Access Specialist
http://www.cm-inc.com/
Phil Groschwitz
<sublime78ska@yahoo To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
.com> cc:
Sent by: Subject: RE: Web apps on the
AS/400
owner-midrange-l@mi
drange.com
03/18/01 09:19 AM
Please respond to
MIDRANGE-L
Great discussion going on. I thought I'd add my
perspective to it.
Isn't possible to do this:
Use net.data to do nothing but call rpg pgms and to
place the result where net.data says to. All the html
is in the net.data macro, not in any rpg pgms. The
macro can be maintained by webdevelopers while the
business programs are maintained by rpg programmers.
-- or --
Develop your own tag language to control calling rpg
pgms, again not putting any html in rpg pgms. The
special tag language and html is maintained by
webdevelopers while the business programs are
maintained by rpg programmers.
-- or --
use JSP's and java to do the same thing, again not
putting any html in the java classes (which is what
you had to do not too long ago before jsp's.) The
jsp's are maintained by webdevelopers while the
business programs are maintained by java developers.
--
I agree that hardcoding html (in any language) is not
a good thing.
But I disagree that java/jsp's is the **absolute**
best solution for **all** business problems. Why?
ROI. The existing, installed as/400's are in many
cases incapable of running a java solution. Many
companies would lose money on upgrading now. They
have to wait. (Or use a different server but you may
never get that business back)
Here's a simplistic analogy that I think demonstrates
my point:
I have a 2 year old car. I now have a need to put a
baby in the car so I need a car seat. While it is
true that I could buy a new car that comes with an
integrated car seat, I can't buy a new car now because
I'm still paying for the one I have. I can't wait
another three years for my car to be paid for. So
I'll just buy a car seat that I can use in my existing
car. Problem solved. Best solution when all the
factors are considered. Would not have been the best
solution if I had no car, or if the car was deficient
in another way. Maybe I need room for five but the
car only has four seats. You get the idea, I hope.
Phil
--- Joe Pluta <joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com> wrote:
> Holy Cripe Joe, that almost sounds like a RPG-CGI
> program !!
> -----
>
> Yes and no, John. With this technique, there's no
> HTML formatting in the
> RPG programming, which is my primary gripe against
> RPG-CGI (or any CGI)
> techniques. Here's a typical change to an RPG
> program:
>
> RV01dC** WRITELINCTL01
> RV01aC EXSR DQM001
>
> RV01aC DQM001 BEGSR
> WRITELINCTL01
> RV01aC DQMTYP IFEQ '1'
> RV01aC WRITELINCTL01
> RV01aC ELSE
> RV01aC CALL 'DQMBAPI2'
> RV01aC PARM 'LINCTL01'DQMSCR 8
> RV01aC PARM 'WRITE' DQMOPC 5
> RV01aC *IN PARM *IN XIIND
> RV01aC PARM DQMDS2
> RV01aC ENDIF
>
> This program runs both green screen and browser.
> Most CGI programs that
> I've seen won't perform in both environments.
>
> Joe
>
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