RE: open source rpg compiler -- RPG400-L

<Scott>
Why's that?   Java doesn't give you this additional functionality by
changing the compiler, but by providing you with pre-built classes.  Aside
from teh differences between object-oriented & procedural languages, it's
the same thing as a service program.
</Scott>

Yeah, and if you could submit some pre-built "classes" to the RPG compiler
team because they developed the compiler in a way that allowed for easy bif
integration, then we would have a much more rich collection of RPG bifs.
That is what I was getting at. . .

<Scott>
I guess I fail to see why service programs don't work just as well as
things that are built-in to the compiler.   Or, do you just like the
Factor1/OpCode/Factor2/REsult syntax better than procedure arguments?
(Personally, I like procedure arguments better)
</Scott>

I hate "Factor1/OpCode/Factor2/REsult syntax" for what it's worth.  I was
more talking about having the ability to overload user created bifs.  Having
a common library of essential user created bifs would be very useful, IMO.

<Scott>
Wait... are you saying that you would add these enhancements?   or are you
saying that you think if it was open-source, "someone" would do them for
you?
</Scott>

Both, if the RPG compiler was made "open source" in an intuitive and
uncomplicated way, then any tinkerer would have a hay day creating their
most wanted bifs (Joe Pluta would create %Move for instance:-)

<Scott>
Are you willing to learn the proprietary language that IBM writes this
compiler in (possibly at a large cost) and the various theories of
compiler development, etc, so that you can implement these features?
Just to avoid using a service program instead?
</Scott>

Hmmm. . . I am not sure.  I guess I would rather they just made RPG more
object oriented.  That way I could, for example, "extend" the VARYING length
data type and make it easier to use.

Aaron Bartell


-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Klement [mailto:klemscot@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 10:21 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: open source rpg compiler



> Sorry to be the voice of Java all the time, but just take one look at it's
> rich class collection.  Now this may not equate to being able to "write
> compiler functionality", but they made the concepts of the language so
open
> that you can create many rich and useful classes that tightly integrate
with
> Sun provided classes.  I don't feel that RPG has the same capabilities
with
> ILE and service programs.

Why's that?   Java doesn't give you this additional functionality by
changing the compiler, but by providing you with pre-built classes.  Aside
from teh differences between object-oriented & procedural languages, it's
the same thing as a service program.

> Take your software for instance, Scott.  I would love to have your service
> programs natively included with the RPG compiler because they are a basic
> need for any business language (HTTP, FTP, Sockets, IFS, etc).

I guess I fail to see why service programs don't work just as well as
things that are built-in to the compiler.   Or, do you just like the
Factor1/OpCode/Factor2/REsult syntax better than procedure arguments?
(Personally, I like procedure arguments better)

>
> I don't know if open source RPG would ever take off (because of the
reasons
> others have listed), but the compiler could definitely be
> re-written/modified to allow for many other necessary features.

Wait... are you saying that you would add these enhancements?   or are you
saying that you think if it was open-source, "someone" would do them for
you?

Are you willing to learn the proprietary language that IBM writes this
compiler in (possibly at a large cost) and the various theories of
compiler development, etc, so that you can implement these features?
Just to avoid using a service program instead?
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