Re: Web enablement options (previously private)

["Nathan M. Andelin" <nandelin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Adam Lang" <aalang@rutgersinsurance.com>
> I agree.  Your RPG program SHOULDN'T write the html.
> That would mean everytime you want to redesign your pages,
> you need to recompile.

Web development with ILE has moved past the Dark Ages, Adam.  I'd encourage
you to look at my Relational-Web product, for details.  The HTML is in one
file.  The RPG in another.  Change the HTML as much as you want.  It likely
won't affect the RPG program.

> It also means your RPG programmer has to be your web deveoper
> too, or at least have extremely good communication with him.

It can be as simple as having the page developer tell the application
developer that the HTML is ready.  The application developer takes it from
there.

I'll borrow a quote from Walden:

"From CS we went back to host controlled, web browsers.
Sure, they're graphical and 'pretty' but at the end of the day,
they're host-controlled green-screens that aren't green."

In my experience, application developers have a much better handle on the
requirements of program flow and "user interface" control logic.  Web
developers usually have a better handle on page layout.  My preference is to
have the application developer control the user interface, not visa versa.

> Your RPG code should just return straight data.  Then you
> have your ASP page actually do the formatting.

If only data is returned, then the ASP must implement not only page layout,
but also flow control and error logic.  In a complex application, it gets
messy when a lot of VB script or Java Script mixed with HTML.

Nathan M. Andelin
www.relational-data.com