RPGvsSQL

["George J. Vitek" <vitekg@xxxxxxxx>]

I have what I hope are some basic questions re: creating/maintaining
files created and used by SQL.

Some background work performed thus far:
A) CREATE TABLE  results in  PF's
B) Create index results in a LF's
C) Have run some SQL against DDS created files,( input & output) no
problems so far. Very simple functions however.

Questions:
1) Can RPG, RPGIII, RPG/ILE be used to populate tables created via SQL,
some  having Indexes?
2) Some values such as TIMESTAMP do not exist in RPGIII. I assume these
can be built to look like a SQL or RPG/ILE results. The reason for
asking
this is that I would like to use a conversion package to populate SQL
created files from existing AS/400 database files. This package
generates RPGIII programs to move the data around, not RPG/ILE, but the
package has very many "Conversion Task Features" that make it a good
candidate for a file conversion tool.
3) What is the value of Numeric NULL?  Alpha NULL?
4) Is there any way to print  Filename alisas's generated for long names

by Create Table? DSPFD to an Outfile does not seem to do it. (V3R2)

The bottom line is that I would like to use this file conversion package

which generates RPGIII programs to perform conversions from DDS created
database files to SQL created files. An alternative method is to use
RPG/ILE, as this would give access to all features such as TIMESTAMP,
DATE
stuff, etc. The last alternative which should eliminate all questions is

to utilize SQL to Read and write the files.

The resulting application system will be a totally SQL client server
system. However, we expect to be able to access for input, any of the
sql files using RPG/ILE for inquiry and reporting purposes. We do not
expect to update the SQL files with anything other than SQL statements,
but it would be nice to know that we could if there was a need to do so
( like a programmer not being familiar with SQL).

RPG/ILE is a great language. I am assuming we will not eliminate its
usefulness by going to a SQL based system. Any comments appreciated.

Regards,

George Vitek
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