Re: Common Display File (Header + File-level Keywords) -- MIDRANGE-L

hey man!

As we exchanged earlier, I think OAR could fit almost anything someone wants to do - it is now being used to talk to a browser interface, so as you mention that output, it might do very nicely.

As I said, it was a crazy idea - but people like Jon are often saying that the uses for OAR are limited only by imagination.

It gets weirder as I think about it - you'd need a DSPF for the compile - or some kind of file. There might not be any point, since that object is needed in the first place.

But a kind of interesting thought piece, I hope.

Vern

On 1/30/2014 12:35 PM, Mark S Waterbury wrote:

Hi, Vern:

OAR may be good for preserving existing legacy code that already knows
how to "talk to" display files -- but that paradigm is nothing like how
you interact with UIM -- UIM works much more like a browser interface,
either directly with CGI APIs, or using CGIDEV2 -- the idea there is you
store some "environment variables" and then you push a "web page" out to
the HTTP server ... and with CGI or CGIDEV2 etc., "substitutions" take
place, where the values of the environment variables get substituted
into the displayed page. Then, on input, you call some routine to
"reverse the process" so you can get back any "input fields" as named
environment variables, or parsing them into a data structure, etc.

Since Sarah said she already has "web programs" in RPG, and wants to
allow them to be used from a 5250 terminal as well, I think the UIM
might be a "better fit" because the "paradigm" when using UIM is much
closer to the way the CGI browser interface works -- with UIM, you first
store values into "dialog variables" and then you ask UIM to display the
panel, and substitution occurs "automagically". Similarly, when control
returns to you, you can then "fetch" the values from named dialog
variables to receive any "input fields".

Your idea of some kind of "preprocessor" or translator to allow CGIDEV2
to "generate" UIM panels is not that far-fetched ... but not every HTML
page will easily "map into" UIM, as UIM is more rigidly structured ...
but, if certain "fixed format" templates are used with CGIDEV2, and you
can create a corresponding set of templates for use with UIM, then
something along these lines could be possible ... and then, with a
properly written OAR handler, you could perhaps simplify the task of
using UIM, so it looks more like using a display file, where you "WRITE"
subfile records, and then WRITE the subfile header record to tell UIM to
display the entire panel, etc. -- , though of course this would take a
bit of work to develop ... this could be an interesting project --
perhaps an "open source" effort that could ultimately be added to the
stuff at easy400.net, to go with CGIDEV2?

All the best,

Mark S. Waterbury

> On 1/30/2014 12:36 PM, Vernon Hamberg wrote:

One challenge for me is the lack of a UIM designer.

But I just had a crazy thought - maybe with something like CGIDEV2, and
appropriate template for UIM, and Open Access: RPG Edition, one could
come up with some nice ways to work with UIM from RPG.

Now if only I had the right kind of time!

And can we get Sarah's manager to take a look at OAR?

:)

Vern

On 1/30/2014 6:56 AM, rob@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

If her manager is skeptical about RPGLE just how skeptical are they going
to be about UIM?

And, just to spread FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt), has there been any
'statements of direction' or whatever regarding UIM (User Interface
Manager)?
Granted the 7.1 infocenter still has a link
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/nls/rbagsuserinterfaceman.htm
but some of that stuff stays and doesn't get reviewed for currency. Hence
the first page still says "The i5/OS® ..."

Rob Berendt