Adding pointers to RPG language.

["Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 >>  RPG is better suited to applications, which are generally I/O bound.
It all falls back to using the right tool for the job.

Agreed 100% Hans - which in many cases is _exactly_ why pointers are needed
in the language!!

If you are IO bound in a batch process which handles millions of records and
does a gazillion validation look-ups, the ability to use bsearch (or your
own binary search) on a based array is not just useful but in many cases a
life saver.  One customer we worked with used these kinds of techniques to
slash their main batch process time by well over 50%.

I'm at a seminar right now and working a day behind on this mail but thought
I'd also point out to those who were interested that the RPG Redbook "Who
knew ......" has a fully worked example of using dynamic storage in
combination with qsort and bsearch.  It doesn't teach much about "what is a
pointer" but it shows their use in a simple and (I think) safe manner.


Jon Paris
Partner400