Re: /FREE RPG compiler errors

[Doc <Doc6502@xxxxxxxxx>]

Buck Calabro wrote:

> If the code is ugly already, adding /free and /end-free aren't going to make
> it any uglier in my opinion.  But I typically add a subprocedure, which can
> lead to a jarring
> C     EMPID         COMP      20001                              20  20 
> C   20EMPID         COMP      29999                                2020 
> C  N20              GOTO      BADMGR                                    
> c                   if        isManager(empID) = FALSE                  
> c                   goto      badmgr                                    
> c                   endif                                               
> but is it worse than
> c/free                                                                  
>   if (isManager(empID) = TRUE) and
>       empID >= 20001 and empID <= 29999;
>   exsr processManager;
>   endif;                                                                
>  /end-free                                                              
> It sure as heck is a good marker telling me that "I've made changes here!"
> But it does beg the question as to whether this furor over mixing styles is
> much ado about little.  I mean, nobody is going to propose (with a straight
> face) that I continue to use the indicator-style of code because that's
> what's there already.  Right?
Far as I'm conerned, example 2 is the easier to read.  But I must say 
that coding a stinky subprocedure every time I want to insert some 
free-format code does put me off a bit.  As Barbara indicated, it's 
swings and roundabouts; there isn't a clear rule of thumb as to how one 
should mix (or allow mixing) of /Free and fixed.  (Don't think I like 
that name.  Makes me think of having the cat snipped.)

The ONE place I really despise using /Free is with SQL.  The damn /Free 
/End-Free /Exec SQL /End-Exec preprocessor tags make me go BLIND.  I 
wish the folks at IBM would allow unrestricted mixing of /Free and SQL.

The other thing I don't really know if anyone's mentioned is that /Free 
actually makes RPG readable by non-RPG programmers.  Yeah, it sorta 
breaks the seal on the club.  One of the UNIX/C C++ guys I work with 
here got VERY excited when he saw the /Free examples I've written for my 
current client because he didn't have to get the Rosetta stone out to 
read the code.  So if I get hit by  bus tomorrow (I'm not planning on 
it, by the way), he can at least read the stuff I wrote.  And if our 
client hires someone who's got a similar background, they have a shorter 
learning curve as well.

(This of course assumes my code is readable to begin with.)


-Doc