RE: PI to replaced *Entry PLIST (was Because it's there... )

<< The problem you describe sounds like a design issue to me to be honest.
I
<< wouldn't expect to be passing through values that I don't need personally
<< (if you see what I mean).  Maybe I just don't understand exactly what
<< you're trying to do here though.



Jon,

Ultimately, it is a design issue, but the problem is that functions get
added to existing programs. When I designed the program, it accepted a set
number of parameters. Every program that called that program passed that
number of parameters. But then, a new function gets added to that program
thats activated by passing in a new parameter. The %parms testing is used so
that all other programs that call this program dont have to be changed.
Let's say the new parameter is parameter 3. So far, no problem.

Now, another new fucntion is added to the program, again activated by a
parameter being passed to it (now parameter 4). Any existing programs that
are going to be changed to be able to access the new function have to pass
in 4 parameters. This means they have to pass in parameter 3 even tho they
don't want to activate that function.

This is why the If %addr() <> *NULL check is much more consistant to see if
you really want to use the parameter that was passed. The %parms doesnt work
because you were forced to pass parameter 3 when all you really wanted was
parameter 4.

Obviously, you can code around this by being aware of the potential problem
using %parms. It just seems safer to use the *OMIT and not having to worry
about anybody coming along later.

I guess part of the problem is that new features are constantly being added
to our package and that our package is very modular in nature. A program can
easily get called from 10 other programs.

Ron


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