RE: CF-Spec - another call for opinions

["John Taylor" <john.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Doug,

> Not a mass conversion.  Just a mass recompile.
> Have you ever changed a record format of a file that is widely used
> numerous applications?  Do you use level checks?  Do you recompile
> programs which use the file?

You're usually three steps ahead of me at any given point Doug, so what am I
missing here? Let me clarify what I see, and please correct me where I'm
wrong.

How would a mass recompile of existing RPG 3/4 source be affected by a new
syntax?

1) RPG III source would only be affected if a field name was changed. This
can be avoided easily. Don't change the field name to conform to the new
syntax. Use PREFIX instead.

2) RPG IV field name conflict. As already mentioned, use PREFIX.

3) RPG IV procedure name conflict. If it is an internal or statically bound
procedure, a good search & replace utility will do the job in no time. For
service programs, if the procedure name cannot be easily changed, then we
can create a proxy stub for use by the new CF code.

4) RPG IV variable name conflict. This is the same problem we've been
dealing with in other languages for years. The actual fact of the matter is
that it is rarely ever an issue. In fact, I don't remember ever being
affecting by it in the 10 years that I've been writing code.

> If Hans & Co cannot automagically determine the intended usage from
> the context in an unambiguous manner (which *I thknk* should be doable
> except where I described in earlier posts), then you have the
> potential for a recompile to fail.

I agree with you completely on this. If it can be done this way, then it
should be.

> It also won't be an issue except in CF specs, so Bob will never have
> to worry about it anyway.  In fact, he can't even mention it in his
> book or classes since he refuses to mention CF there ... <g>

Precisely. It's a new syntax. Therefore, it should only be a concern with
respect to new code. If you're writing fresh code, you have the opportunity
to re-think your naming standards at that time.


John

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