Re: RPG IV and CF-spec "keep it IBM"

Scott

No flames, but I must disagree about the maintainability of code with fixed
formats.

As a humble user of RPG3 or RPG/400 (I won't get into the ongoing debate as
to what is the right name - we all know what it is), I find the fixed
positions invaluable for quickly finding things in code.

If I am interested in finding where a field is updated somewhere in a
program, I simply type F xxxx 43 at the prompt line and BINGO, there it is.
This gives me result fields only (ignoring those pesky CLEAR statements, of
course).  The only code I indent is that code I have commented out.  I
always move that 2 places right so that a) I can clearly see what code is
in or out of the program and b) it doesn't affect my aforementioned search
method.

I also use the same method for other types of searches as well, such as
operation codes (eg EXCPT)

I also use the same method when doing a search over multiple sources using
option 25.  It can dramatically cut the time it takes to search a lot of
source on a slow machine.

The argument of CF or not CF is purely academic to me, as this is ILE
related, as I don't code in ILE.  Why not?  Because as a contractor, I code
in the same language as the sites that I work on, and so far at the 10
locations I have worked at in the 4 years since going solo, I have yet to
find a single place that has gone ILE.  I certainly have not come across
any major Packages that are in ILE, though it may be that the most recent
releases of some are.  If so, they have yet to filter through to the places
I work with.




"Scott Klement" <infosys@klements.com> on 02/08/99 17:51:35

Please respond to RPG400-L@midrange.com

To:   RPG400-L@midrange.com
cc:

Subject:  Re: RPG IV and CF-spec "keep it IBM"




boothm@ibm.net wrote:
>
> I have no feelings of being a Luddite, neo or otherwise.  I have spe
>  too
> much time chasing down really bad code from earlier attempts of othe
>  at
> being on the leading edge of technical creativity.  My great dread i
>  the
> programmer with a C+ grade in his one year of C++ training in colleg
>   I
> can just see him deciding he can use the CF specs to right "real
>  code".
Booth,
      IMHO, even if your "fresh from college" programmer got an A+
he's not very likely to write readable/maintainable code until hes
had more practical experience with maintaining other peoples code!
Again, I have to say that most people straight out of school are
likely to have more readable code if they've got the ability to
indent it than they are if they don't.
Its my (very strongly held) opinion that forcing op-codes to be in
a specific position on the line makes things HARDER to read, not
easier.  Granted, new programmers don't always indent their code,
or insert spacing, or anything to make life easier for other
programmers.   But fixed-position RPG only REINFORCES that behavior!
(To the people on the list in general --  This is my opinion.  PLEASE
don't yell at me or flame me if you disagree.  This opinion is based
on experience training new programmers in BOTH RPG and C.  However,
I recognize that whats easy code for me to read isn't necessarily
whats easy for YOU to read... fair enough?)
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