Re: Named Indicators...

[dhandy@xxxxxxxxxxx (Douglas Handy)]

Jim.,

>Regardless, when I first ran across *INK? I was totally confused.  It took me
>some time to realize they were just *IN?? renamed.  And I did have to take my
>shoes off to figure out what *INKL was, and I had some trouble because, as I
>know now, some are skipped (I've heard *INKI and *INKO, are they both)?

They are not really renamed versions of *INxx.  They are separate
indicators which are not part of the *IN array of *IN01 thru *IN24.

They started life in RPG II on the S/32, which did not even have
WORKSTN files.  Or DDS.  Or an INFDS.  But if you used a KEYBORD
device file with KEY/SET operations, you needed to use the Kx
indicators to allow a command key to be pressed (you could enable up
to three at a time).

The S/34 and S/36 (which did have WORKSTN files) used the same
indicators, since the *IN array and *INxx syntax are not supported.
Nor did the INFDS on the S/34/36 give you the AID byte, although you
could test the *STATUS field for 00000, 00002, or the specific status
codes for roll up/down, print, etc.  

Those of us who spent many years on the S/32/34/36 got to know them
very well. But I'll be the first to admit I don't think they belong in
a new RPG III program or RPG IV.  My personal preference is to use the
AID byte in the INFDS, with a /COPY member to bring in a standard list
of named constants for the key names.

BTW, only the letter O was skipped, and KI was Cmd9.  KA-KI were easy
to remember if you had previously been proficient at reading 80-column
punched cards, since you had to know what digit punches corresponded
to letters depending on the zone punches in a given column...  

Doug
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