Re: free form alternatives?

[bmorris@xxxxxxxxxx]

>Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 12:27:43 -0400
>From: "Mike Naughton" <mnaughton@juddwire.com>
>
>I remember years ago hearing from an IBMer that all  RPG programs should
>be coded in-line (no EXSRs), to reduce page faults during execution (thus
>saving I/O and time).

Ewww.  This rule hasn't been valid for any AS/400 RPG compiler.  (I don't
know about earlier machines.)  The AS/400 RPG compilers generate exsr-like
branches to other parts of the program for all I/O operations, negating
any attempt you made to straight-line your code.  By making your
program larger from inlining all your subroutines, you might _increase_
the number of page faults.  I suppose by branching to your own subroutine,
and then to a compiler-generate subroutine, you have the possibility of
2 page faults, but even so, I imagine the EXSR version will win in the
long run.

>Unless there is a clear justitication
>to the contrary, my vote is to make programs easy to build, maintain, and
>enhance, and if that means wasting a few machine resources so be it.

I agree 100%.  Easy to maintain --> more likely correct.  An incorrect
program that runs fast is worthless.  (If anyone disagrees, I can make
a compiler that will create every program to run really, really fast,
if it isn't important that it actually does the required job :)

Barbara Morris