RE: Is this the Free-Format that we asked for?

[Scott Klement <klemscot@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 2 Nov 2000, M. Lazarus wrote:

> >His example points out, implicitly, why the semi-colon is needed.  There are
> >multi-line statements that would be ambiguous without the explicit
> >end-of-statement notation.
> 
>   In that case, an explicit line continuation character s/b used.  Adding 
> baggage for EVERY statement to accommodate the few exceptions is not a good 
> design.
> 

I have to say that I STRONGLY disagree with this.  Whatever method is used
MUST BE CONSISTENT FROM STATEMENT TO STATEMENT.  Having to end some
statements with semicolons, and not others is very very bad.

Can you imagine learning RPG for the first time and trying to remember
when you need to terminate a statement with a semicolon and when you
don't?  Don't add that complication!  Make it consistent!

If you want to "only have one statement per line" and "only have to
code for the exceptions", then use the method that CL uses where there
is a "+" at the end of the lines that need to be continued.  In other
words, a continuation character as opposed to a statement terminator.

However, I still would DEFINITELY prefer the semicolon at the end of each
statement.  Typing the damned "+" sign at the end of each line can be
very tiresome!

On the subject of GOTO's, yuck.  Remove them.  Even with RPG IV in its
current state, if one of my programmers is using GOTO's I sit down and
teach him program structure.  

I've got lots of other pet peeves about the way people mis-structure their
programs and abuse things like GOTO's, If/DO nesting, etc...  but I'll
save that for a different holy war. :)


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