RE: REXX on AS/400- Can you call formatted screens

Dave:

I just took a CL program that I used to test UIM panel group functions, copied 
it into a REXX member, modified it to REXX format and it ran fine after three 
edit cycles. Easier to convert than I expected, mostly just getting the proper 
quotes around the API calls/parms. I still have a minor issue converting a 
binary(4) returned from a couple of the APIs, but that's simple technical 
coding. I might use a command shell around the APIs to eliminate the binary 
conversion coding.

The procedure displays a full-screen panel and accepts a user/password 
combination, then displays a scrolling information panel in a pop-up window, 
and finally displays a second full-screen panel to allow updating a library 
name value. The inputs/outputs to the UIM panels are displayed via SAY at the 
end and the original screen is restored. The three displayed panels are from a 
single panel group.

It's pretty ugly looking REXX, but works like a charm. No error handling, 
nothing but pass data to UIM, display, then pull data out. I can send you the 
code if you wish. I'm a little surprised how easy it was; but then I've done 
quite a bit of UIM and already had the compiled panel group.

Tom Liotta

midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

>   5. subject: Re: REXX on AS/400- Can you call formatted screens
>      (Dave Odom)
>
>Thanks to Vern Hamberg for his reply.   I was hoping the AS/400 and its
>implementation of REXX had matured to the level of the VM operating
>system but I guess not.  
> 
>You see in VM you can create screens using the XEDIT editor and call
>those screens from REXX thus quickly creating a professional looking and
>functioning application without all the extra work of a compiled
>language.    While you are correct that an interpretive language like
>REXX, VB, etc., is never going to be as fast as a compiled language, nor
>is it going to enjoy static SQL calls to DB2 and the accompanying
>performance, if the application is relatively small and not hugely
>complex, REXX is a very capable and powerful language.   
> 
>I also agree with you as to string functions.  REXX is probably one of
>the best out there.
> 
>It seems like one of your ideas has merit for my use...   If I
>understand you correctly, you say to create an RPG "driver" program,
>called from my REXX program, that basically runs and manages the DSPFs
>and takes the variables and puts them into the REXX variable pool.   If
>its possible to architect such a thing such that it can be called and
>called with all the variables getting messed up, that sort of sounds
>like what is done in VM with XEDIT screens, except there XEDIT and REXX
>can be more integrated with each other.
> 
>What do you think?   Anyone else care to comment?

-- 
Tom Liotta
The PowerTech Group, Inc.
19426 68th Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone  253-872-7788 x313
Fax    253-872-7904
http://www.powertech.com



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