re: RPG and SQL Compilers

From: Jon.Paris@hal.it
 >> All IBM needs to do is 'Sunset Clause' a particular interface,
>I'm not sure "All" is as simple a word as you make it sound - witness the
>fact that when I was with IBM we had to keep PL/I alive more than three
>releases after we originally said we were withdrawing it!  
>If you want more evidence look at the current fuss over OV/400.
>It is a good idea though - I keep telling them they should announce the
>withdrawal of RPG/400 - that would get SSA, JDE and a few others off >their
asses and let their customers move on!

It seems to me the fuss cannot be avoided, no pain no gain.
My next point crosses the BPCS-L/RPG400-L boundaries.
Namely I work with BPCS (no commiserations please) and I am
fairly sure that AS/SET will NEVER be developed further.
For those that stay with AS/SET it is possible via CVTRPGSRC
to use the RPGLE complier should RPG/400 be withdrawn.
The point is the bridge EXISTS, there is no need to be held
back by SSA etc.

As an aside we have a home grown spool file distribution
system that uses SNDNETSPLF. It relies on having an
OV/400 profile. We used to use OFFICE but now almost
nothing.  However it seems to me that SNDNETSPLF
relies on OV/400s distribution functions. When OV/400
dies I suppose so will SNDNETSPLF.

 >> I was thinking to use the IRP (does this still exist)
>Yes but I suspect that the two compilers use different IRPs - RPG IV uses
>W-code (which becomes MI-prime) and I suspect SQL still uses MI.
>Regardless I don't see how it helps other than to avoid having to >generate
additional source statements in the RPG code - 
>and this compiler technique allows for that.

Hey! one of my prime beefs is the additional source statements.
Dont know much about MI and dont much care.
MI was supposed to be the magic bullet that isolated the source
from the machine code.  If people choose to dabble with MI then
I suppose they will have to pay a price.
At least we will get to ONE version of the source for debugging 
(wont we ??).
And ONE RPG compiler. (I can hope, can't I?)

Frank Kolmann



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