RE: "extract" command enhancement(subfiles and BIFs)

>Dan:
>I definitely agree with you and Booth about subfiles.  The whole display
>file sewer is based on memorizing arbitrary arcane reserved words.   Seems
>like a verb to do something like clear the subfile would make more sense
>than setting on an indicator and writing to the control record, though.

Having watched this thread and numerous others over the years and having
taught "Subfile techniques"  many times,   I have to wonder if half the
problem with subfiles is that we
get too fancy too many times.    I might ask;

Does your shop have iron clad type standards as to how many lines on a SFL
page?
Does your shop have iron clad type standards as to Page at a time or not?
Does your shop have iron clad type standards as to the format names?
Does your shop have iron clad type standards as to the indicators used?
Does your shop have iron clad type standards about which keywords are used?
Does your shop have iron clad type standards  etc etc etc etc

If the answer is no to these,  then you will have to learn every dialect and
every keyword of the subfile sublanguage.

If you had subfile "Parts"    (Like the above standards)  you would have
very little choices also.

If you use page at a time sometimes,  load all other times,   SFLROL
sometimes, sometimes not,
Different Format names for each program/department/development team,    If
which indicators used are up to the programmer to decide each time,   
Well then you may have to learn alot of nuances of subfile design.

Personally,   I never think about 99% of the above,  each program looks
*SAME as the previous one.     Indicators are same everytime, keywords are
same everytime, format name are same everytime.   

Variety may be the spice of life,  but it cost more.

Don't crucify me now,  thoses are just my observations.
BTW,  I know how to and have written multiple SFL's on a screen at one time,
controlling roll keys with them,   and I know alot of obscure SFL facts like
"If you code an error indicator on the write statement of the SFL data
format,  it will turn on when the SFLPAG size is reached"     and others(Gee
that would make a good trivia question),   So my point of view isn't out of
ignorance of SFL's   it comes from "Business bottomline"  bang for the buck.
Most of the time the fancy stuff doen't add to the business value it just
looks fancy.

KISS

John 




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