VARPG/HTML/misc. comments -- RPG400-L

VARPG: are all the ILE RPG BIF's in available?  How about free-form RPG?

I have similar problems with Java as the Next Great Technology, even
including the age issue.  But it's unlikely many of us working on our own
will be signing off for the last time when we're 65, so maybe a 10-year
investment isn't so bad.  If it catches on, it will spread like wildfire.
I'm not sure if I agree on HTML; it is flexible but that flexibility comes
at a price.  Screen scraping?  You're being charitable.

I'm using a seasick (green-screen) mouse to select subfile lines; this works
nicely with clicking on column headings for sorting.  And the clicking on
the same column as the last click reverses the sort order.  With a DDS
window for the details, you're there.  Of course, the ability to vary the
screen layout dynamically would be nice (if I have a shipment moving
cross-border, I'd like to be able to dynamically insert a couple of lines
for Customs information entry; if I have a hazardous materials shipment, I'd
like the hazmat required information to appear in-line).

I'm reluctant to embrace a tangential product and commit my software
package's development effort to it; unfortunately, that makes RPG, Java, and
VB ("be afraid...be very afraid") the main choices.  Internet access is a
requirement for my customers' customers, so HTML is still in the picture.
All my customers have remote offices and work-at-home employees; this is an
important consideration.  When you consider the number of devices working as
browsers (PC's, PDA's, cell phones, etc.), a browser-based application seems
logical.  And the future of the iSeries as we know it is uncertain; on the
other hand, the good thing about the VB approach is that there's so much of
it out there it can't be obsoleted overnight.

I'm not sure if "RPG on an alternate platform?" is the key issue.  If you
share the MVC design philosophy, the design (approach) is primary and the
(so-called) HLL is secondary (and, in theory, easily replaceable).  This
would also suggest merit in the data modeling (Synon) approach, which has
the capability of providing platform independence.

Okay...back to the real world: struggling with CODE and ILE RPG...

-reeve

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-admin@midrange.com [mailto:rpg400-l-admin@midrange.com]On
Behalf Of Booth Martin
 --
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I am not here to sell everyone VARPG.  I happen to like it but its not a
favorite for very many people.  It will never be a prominent product, but I
ve got to tell you:  it works and its available right now.  RPG people can
use their exisiting skills and develop real time programs with just a few
weeks of intensive learning.

I looked at Java and realized that getting going with the java initiative
was at least a 10-year ramp-up.   Its already been 7 years and Java hasn't
replaced very much code anywhere yet so I am thinking my 10-year guess was
probably conservative. A 10-year ramp-up isn't a good career move for
someone in their late 50s so I looked for alternatives.  HTML is too
limiting and screen scraping is lipstick on a pig.  The only choice that
made sense for me was VARPG and I have come to appreciate what it does for
the enduser.

So far as being "up to date"...  what function are you looking for that you
suspect won't be there?

I'm with you on your comments on green-screen.  "Sheesh...what else can I
do?"  is right on the mark.  For example, wouldn't it be nice if you could
have have 2 related sessions open?  With a subfile in one session, and when
you click on a line in the subfile, the other session comes to the top, in
focus, with the data related to the record selected in the first record?
What about clicking on any column heading to sort by that column?  Or
clicking it again to sort the subfile in the opposite order?

But this is far afield from the original question.  This product allows you
to write RPG on a Windows platform, with the Windows look & feel.

(I think most green-screen applications are well designed but are limited to
24 x 80 fixed font so everything is smooshed together and there's very
little that is intuitive.)


---------------------------------------------------------
Booth Martin   http://www.MartinVT.com
Booth@MartinVT.com
---------------------------------------------------------

-------Original Message-------

From: rpg400-l@midrange.com
Date: Monday, December 30, 2002 22:11:09
To: rpg400-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Is RPG available on any other platform ?


Your "The learning curve for new employees on many green screen
applications..." observation is interesting. Do you think many green screen
applications are poorly designed or do you think any GUI supports the user
better? My applications have context-sensitive help,
click-on-the-column-heading for subfile sorting, lookup capabilities on
edited fields (indicated like this: "Terms?:"), and error message subfiles
with substitution variables. Sheesh...what else can I do?

-reeve
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