Re: F Specs on an OVRDBF

[Jim Langston <jlangston@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would suggest you go to RPG IV as soon as humanly possible.  RPG IV is
so much easier and faster to code than RPG III.  RPG IV is actually legible too!

It does not take much at all to go from RPG III to RPG IV, basically, you can
take an existing RPG III program and run CVTRPGSRC on it.  This will convert
the source from RPG III to RPG IV by spacing out everything correctly and
changing the few things that need to be changed to get it to compile.  You then
should be able to, in most cases, compile the program and run it without 
problems.
There are a few problems that may crop up, but they are far and few between.

The first thing you will notice is that your program has been expanded out a bit
width wise.  Everything should look almost the same besides that.

So, you can still code like you were used to in RPG III without problems.  But,
now you will be able to use all the neat stuff in RPG IV.  Like the Eval 
statement.
That is the biggest change in RPG IV that makes it so great, IMO.  Instead of
saying:

 C                     MOVE    SOMEVAR    SOMEVAR2
 C                     ADD       SOMEVAR3  SOMEVAR2

You can say

 C                     Eval    Somevar2 = Somevar + Somevar3

Woah, that line is actually readable!  Notice, you can also use lower case 
letters
now.  And, you are no longer limited to 8 characters for variable names either!
You are still limited to 8 for your DDS though, bummer.  But program variables
can be as long as you want them.

Try it on a program or two.  See what you think.

Regards,

Jim Langston

"Cobb, Laura" wrote:

> Jim,
> Thanks for putting my mind at ease (LOL).  My forgiving side will be okay if
> it happens, but my perfectionist side is bound and determined not to let it.
> Thanks for the insight on netshare400.  I didn't realize I could peruse code
> as well as write at the sight.  Hopefully some RPGIV.  I have only seen a
> few statements in IV but I like what I see.  It seems a bit more intuitive.
> Thanks for everything and be sure that I will be seeking council in the
> future from you(all) on appropriate coding techniques.
>
> Well its back to work for me now,
>
> Regards,
>
> LAC

+---
| This is the RPG/400 Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to RPG400-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to RPG400-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to RPG400-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---