Re: Free-format RPG

[James Rich <james@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 25 Apr 2003, E Doc wrote:

> 6.  SQL statements in /Free format, in a word, suck.  I cannot abide:
>
>  /Free
>   doMonkeyCount(inMonkey: outBanana );
>
>   if outBanana > squidgyNumber;
>
>  /End-Free
>
> C/Exec SQL
>  + INSERT INTO monkeyeat
>  +   VALUES(:outBanana)
> C/End-Exec
>
>  /Free
>
>     // Check SQL return code
>     if SQLSTTS = c_MYBAD;
>       handleSQLErr();
>     endif;
>
>     return outBanana;
>
>   endif;
>
>  /End-Free

What if you call dump embedded sql altogether and just call sql
statements?  For example, tell me if you like this any better (all code
here is free format):

   if outBanana > squidgyNumber;
     sql_run_statement('INSERT INTO monkeyeat VALUES(' +
                        %editc(outBanana:'3') + ')');

     // Check SQL return code
     if (sql_error());
       handleSQLErr();
     endif;

     return outBanana;
   endif;

How does that strike you?  These calls would probably also need an sql
cursor as one of the arguments. So then the sql_error() call would look
like:

        sql_error(cursor);

That way you could have multiple cursors open.  Those cursors could also
point to any machine, something like:

        cursor = sql_open_cursor(SERVER);

Now you would never leave the free format and the sql precompiler wouldn't
have to keep up with the rpg precompiler since it doesn't use embedded
sql.  Comments?

James Rich