RE: Defining a function key... -- RPG400-L

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Well if you're old enough to remember indicators at all, you're old enough
to remember there were only 99 of 'em, and getting 24 more for interactive
jobs for command keys was a blessing. Knowing that *INKx meant it was a
command key pressed by the user, versus something that might have been set
in the program, was valuable information as well.  I never saw the sense of
using CF01(01) when *INKA got turned on and off anyway.  If you didn't
understand the indicator use, check the usage table at the top of the
program or get the heck out of the program. :-) In the old days, and in the
old code that's still running in a lot of places, you kind of ran out of
indicators after awhile.  Or you saved them and reused them and let the new
guys try to figure out which overlay of the indicator array was in play now.

BTW, I used *IN06 to control whether or not CF06 was allowed, and *INKF to
relay its usage, for example.  Would it be better to say *IN46 allows
CF06(06)?  *IN59 allows CF19(19)? Not to me.  Plus your 24 possible command
keys becomes 48 used indicators.

I much prefer the current method of separate indicator areas and using named
indicators
D i_ScreenInd     DS
D  i_EndofPgm            03     03n
D  i_Refresh             05     05n
D  i_Create              06     06n
D  i_allow_F6            46     46n

if we could just get rid of that starting position column...


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Langston [mailto:jlangston@celsinc.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 10:35 AM
To: 'rpg400-l@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: Defining a function key...


I learn RPG, I learn about indicators.  01 indicator 1, 12, indicator 12,
okay, fine.  I come across code *IN01.  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to
figure that one out.  Then I come across *INKR.  What the heck is that?  Had
to pull out the manuals and search all over, finally found out they were
indicators.  Okay, count on my fingers. A.. B.. C.. 16.  Must be indicator
17.  Dang, why ain't this working?  Test.. Debug.. read some more.  Oh, they
skip indicator *INKI (or is that *INKO, can never remember).

It doesn't' matter how long it's been used, it's obscure.  It's not self
explanatory.

Regards,

Jim Langston

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Cozzi (RPGIV) [mailto:cozzi@rpgiv.com]

Richard,
> What I really can't understand is the comment that *inkx is obscure.
> Kx indicators have been a solid and reliable part of IBM operating
systems
> (3, 32, 34, 36, 38, 400) for oh, say, 40 years now?  Obscure?

True enough, however they also haven't been widely used in new code
since 1983.
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