RE: Externally-Described Field used as array name.

> First, the data buffer an RPG program sees is not necessarily how
> the data is actually stored in the database.
>
> Second, normally, you have to recompile programs anyways when the
> record format changes, so there's no difference with receiving the
> data buffer into a data structure rather than into distinct scalar
> variables.  What we will likely require is that if a data structure
> is specified as the Result-Field operand for an ext-desc I/O op,
> the DS must itself be externally-described on the actual record
> format.  (We're also thinking of some additional usability
> enhancements in the area of ext-desc data structures.)
>
> (Of course, nothing is official until you read that announce
> letter.)
>

What's the benefit of this (I/O to ext-desc struct) versus today's ability
to define a "ds like(rcdfmt of file)"?

I assumed he was after a function like the Windows API MapViewOfFile
which would be more like System Service Tools (SST) sees all objects.