Re: File field names -- RPG400-L

My personal point of view (not my company's one) is that if
I use RPGVI, full ILE developement I don't really need to
use prefix at PF level. Since modules should be short,
simple and concerned in very specific target I could use
prefix in the RPG specs. Easy and net.
But habbits and reality (many programmers and few of them
using ILE properly) did the choice.

--- Jim Langston <jimlangston@conexfreight.com> wrote:
> In a true object oriented language, such as C++, I would
> tend to agree,
> or any place you can do data structures.  With such you
> are required to
> either specifically give the datastructure/object name or
> us a clause 
> such as With <structure> Do...
> 
> #Pragma Packed
> Struct Customer {
>    Char Number[10];
>    .
>    .
>    .
>    } CustRecord;
> 
> Struct InvoiceHead {
>    Char Number[10];
>    .
>    .
>    .
>    } InvHeadRecord;
> 
> InvHeadRecord.Number = CustRecord.Number;
> 
> You can not refer to just Number as the compiler won't
> let you, you 
> must qualify it (unless using the With <structure> Do,
> but that's the
> same thing kinda).
> 
> But, with other langauges (such as RPG) using Number by
> itself is no
> problem, unless I remember to use Prefix.
> 
> I guess if your standards are to *always* use Prefix
> without exception,
> it would work.  But for maintaining legacy code, it
> wouldn't work without
> a total rewrite.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jim Langston
> 
> rob@dekko.com wrote:
> > 
> > I am sure that failure to use the prefix would be
> caught given adequate
> > testing.
> > 
> > I've seen files that are prefixed in the DDS have the
> same field names.
> > Think about it.  Of the dozens of files in an ERP
> system which may use
> > ITEM#.  There is a good chance it could happen.  You
> need to have
> > standards.  And that standard should include the use of
> the PREFIX keyword
> > where appropriate.
> > 
> > I've also seen fields added to a file that no longer
> use the same prefix.
> > For example:
> > BPCS-BBL file
> > BLCUST
> > BLSHIP
> > BLDOCR
> > LUDTE1
> > LUDTE2
> > BLCUSB
> > Again, canned software from a different vendor.
> > 
> > And I am sure that your opinion that large prefixes,
> like qualified names,
> > making programs unreadable may be held in disagreement
> from many quarters.
> > Some people forget that BL means the BBL or Billing
> release line items
> > file.  But that problem would happen if you used PREFIX
> or your method of
> > manual prefixing.
> > 
> > But if you choose not to prefix, then you have the
> capability to move data
> > from one file to another without z-adds, moves or
> evals.  Mostly useful for
> > migrations.
> > 
> > Rob Berendt
> > 
> > ==================
> > Remember the Cole!
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