My personal view is to advise the external programmer (consultant) that his
invoice will not be paid until the work done conforms to the Standards set
down in the specification.
Having said that I have worked as an external programmer (consultant) in
shops where the Standards have not been conformed with due to pressure from
the client for expediency.
In some instances, I have been criticised for taking the time to document
code 'because future modifications may render the documentation in accurate
and redundant'.
It's a strange world in which we live.
Norm Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Birgitta Hauser
Sent: Wednesday, 6 March 2013 2:41 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: AW: Programing requirements - Guidelines - Code Revision
andExternal Programmers - Am I wrong
Thank you for all your confirmation, so I know I'm not alone.
Unfortunately it seems I've already lost the battle :(
... according to my manager yesterday: "You may be right, but we need this
external programmer."
And ... as soon as this external programmer will no longer be interested ...
we'll end up with the undocdumented source code that does not fit our
guidelines and without knowing how to compile (which module is bound to
what?). We will waste too much time plodding through the sources and trying
to compile (because we are sooo incompetent!) ... same situation as last
time we had an external programmer :(
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards
Birgitta Hauser
"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (Les
Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek Bok) "What is
worse than training your staff and losing them? Not training them and
keeping them!"
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] Im Auftrag von Jerry C. Adams
Gesendet: Tuesday, 05.3 2013 16:54
An: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Betreff: RE: Programing requirements - Guidelines - Code Revision
andExternal Programmers - Am I wrong
Pretty much what I was thinking, but, as always, you say it so much better,
Rob.
Jerry C. Adams
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
Megalomania is the only form of sanity. -Winston Churchill
--
Home Office: 615-832-2730
email: midrange@xxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 8:45 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Programing requirements - Guidelines - Code Revision and
External Programmers - Am I wrong
Reasonable and clear.
If the developer disagreed they should have spoken about it up front. For
example, if your requirements were:
- No ILE concepts including, but not limited to: service programs,
subprocedures, binding directories, multiple module programs, etc.
- All RPG variables must be 6 characters or less.
- No free format in RPG.
- Use of subroutines is discouraged and code should all be inline.
- Use of CALL is discouraged and code should be copied into the program.
- Use of /copy is discouraged.
Now I might object, strenuously. And I would try to get you to change your
mind. If we could not reach a compromise then I would have to make a
decision as to whether or not I needed the money that badly but I would
follow your directions. I would reserve the right to bring up the
discussion in the future.
Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail
to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com
From: "Birgitta Hauser" <Hauser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Date: 03/05/2013 01:21 AM
Subject: Programing requirements - Guidelines - Code Revision and
External Programmers - Am I wrong
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Do not want to start a never ending discussions but only get a few opinions.
We got a new external programmer who did the first enhancements.
Before he started he got a couple of programming guidelines (only a few ones
around 10), among them:
1. New exported functions and procedures always start with the application
label (XX_) 2. All new functions and procedures have to be documented and
need a header like it is generated with RDp containing, Procedure Name,
Purpose, Parameter Description 3. Prototypes for exported procedures must be
copied into a different member (with the same name as the source member but
a specific prefix) 4. If parameters must be added to existing
functions/procedures they have to be documented within the header and have
to be defined as optional parameters with OPTIONS(*NoPass).
5. Return values or output parameters or escape messages that indicate
errors have to be handle after the procedure's call.
6. (Reference) Data structures that located in copy members and are used in
almost all of our sources should not be enhanced (at least new sub-fields
should not be included between the existing sub-fields). If an enhancement
is necessary a complete compilation of all modules, programs, service
programs have to be performed.
What happened: The programmer finished his work:
1. New exported procedures were generated but without label prefix 2. There
is no documentation at all, not even a single row before the starting
P-statement 3. The prototype is hardcoded within the source where the
procedure is coded.
4. To several existing procedures a new required (not optional) parameter
was added and not documented 5. No return value is checked (according to the
programmer it is not
necessary)
6. A data structure that is included in almost all our sources (in multiple
applications) was enhanced, but no compilation started
I rejected the enhancements because they do not conform to the guidelines.
The comment of the programmer was: it works and why I should not snooping
through his sources. He could not understand why I'm trying to play the
boss. If I think I can it better I should do it myself.
Am I really wrong insisting in the programming guidelines are followed?
IMHO "working" is not all, also the source code must be documented and
conform the guidelines.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards
Birgitta Hauser
"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (Les
Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek Bok) "What is
worse than training your staff and losing them? Not training them and
keeping them!"
--
This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe, unsubscribe,
or change list options,
visit:
http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx Before posting, please take a
moment to review the archives at
http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.
--
This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe, unsubscribe,
or change list options,
visit:
http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx Before posting, please take a
moment to review the archives at
http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.
midrange.com
