RE: /COPY one extra thing to look at (was: Defining a function key...)

[Buck Calabro <Buck.Calabro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nathan Andelin wrote:

>I think /copy is very useful, Buck.  But to
>date, I've only found it useful for "D" specs
>- mostly prototypes for procedures that other
>programs call.

Ah you 'I get to work on new code' developers have all the luck!  <grin>

>Some people use /copy members for
>constants and variables that
>are shared by multiple programs.
>That, to me may be a sign that
>the shared code ought to be encapsulated
>into a module.  Same thing applies to "C"
>specs.  If you use /copy for that, then
>a service program is often a better
>alternative.

As I alluded to in my trite remark above, /COPY may well be a warning flag
in new code.  Consider older RPG II code that has /COPYs for standard code
blocks like "get the current run date from the constant file."  That tends
to stay in place from RPG II to RPG III and now into RPG IV until we get
around to having to maintain it, and THEN we can move the /COPY from the C
specs to the D specs!  (from code block to prototype include.)

>/copy members can be a challenge if you
>write programs that scan and modify
>source code to handle things like Y2K
>conversions.

Don't I know it!
  --buck