Re: power line (AS/400) article in computerworld

From Steve Richter: my list includes:

ILE service programs reflect completely their contents. to the extent
that an RPG pgm does not have to "include" the PR definitions of the
procedures it uses. just the names of the srvpgms it is "using".

Now that's something I totally agree with! When I first learned about procedures, I just couldn't understand why they didn't do that. Going back to copybooks? We just got away from those with externally-described files.

the associated space of an object feature of the system should be
available to appl programmers. I assume that when an object is saved,
restored or duplicated, all the associated spaces are acted on also.

First, why? Second, aren't those kinds of things available with MI? Third, isn't that part of what caused problems with early versions of Windows, letting programmers meddle with system stuff?

complete the pre compiler feature of the system. the mapping between
debugger views and precompiler output seemed shaky when I tried to
work with the pre compiler and debugger APIs. Variable names, for
example, cant be mapped between views. I think this is the reason SQL
procedure debugging is so problematic.

There shouldn't even be a pre-compiler. The current compiler should simply handle SQL stuff.

better integrate sql procedures into the ILE world. CL modules should
be able to call sql procedures with parameters and then reference the
returned result set as an object in the program.

I think this is a matter of the right tool for the job.



long object names. Why has this not been implemented yet? Is the idea

of storing a binary, non ebcdic character value in the 10 char name
field, which points to a central object name table, too simplistic?
Just replace all the IBM i code which reads the 10 char name with a
call to a procedure that does a name lookup.

From what others have said on the subject, it must be too simplistic. Otoh, something close to that seems to happen with the QDLS file system -- each file within that has a 10-character system name, although they are all readable afaik.

extend logclpgm(*yes) logging to optionally include commands not
currently logged. also optionally log the values of cl variables.

And the values of parameters when a CALL or SBMJOB is logged!

journal all changes on the system, by default. this is probably
something the system already has, it just needs good 3rd party
management software to make it all accessible. What is intriguing is
being able to recreate the state of a job at various points in time.
Would be great for problem determination.

Along those lines, the debugger ought to have a way to change which statement will be executed next, like VB and probably other languages out there.

The theme being the IBM hardware people have done great work the last
10 yrs. If upper level IBM mgmt is as short sighted and fixated on
short term profits as some say, this has not stopped them from
developing great products. The Ian Jarman software group has to be
just as creative and resourceful.

You should also admit that the IBM software people have done great work over the last 30+ years. I don't know of a single other system out there that has done as well in minimizing problems due to new hardware and new software.

*Peter Dow* /
Dow Software Services, Inc.
909 793-9050
pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> /