RE: Using RPG /Free how do I get an ISO variable into a non-date8,0 variable in *USA format

On Thu, 19 Dec 2002, Joe Pluta wrote:

> > In other words, you shouldn't be changing the code of a program that
> > you're not willing to debug.
>
> I shouldn't have to debug my program to move up to the next version of the
> compiler.  If you think that's an acceptable expense, then you and I
> disagree.

You don't have to debug.  Just recompile your code.  But what you are
talking about is rewriting your code in free form.  And rewritten code
should be debugged again.  Moving up to the next version of the compiler
does not mean in any way that you have to rewrite anything, unless your
code depends on features of the old compiler that have been removed.  But
nothing has been removed from any of the new compilers for the AS/400.

The rest of your post indicates that you don't want a mix of free form and
non-free form.  I think Scott's position is that free form adds some very
useful features to the language.  If free form fits a certain solution
then use it, but that doesn't every single program has to be written that
way.  To do so would require extensive testing, debugging, etc. because
using free form isn't a conversion, it's a rewrite.  So I guess I think
that option 3 (a mix of free form and non) is the only way to go.  I don't
see why that seems unacceptable?

By the way, seeing "RPG IV" and "legacy" used together made me chuckle
since at our shop "legacy" means RPG36.  I see programs all the time that
say "only compile with RPG II 1/2"!

James Rich