RE: Character to Numeric can it be cleaned up

Bill,
This has really been my point for a version or two; I would like IBM to make
the compiler enhancements work on all releases starting with Version X
Release X. If this were in place today, we would be able to code the
enhancements scheduled when V5R2 was shipped, on V5R1. The V5R3 enhancements
would also work on V5R1.  I don't see why this can't happen.
Certainly if they introduce something new in the OS or database that
requires the later version, then that individual piece would require the
later version of the OS to run. But something like converting character to
numeric with %DEC certainly does not require Version 5.2 let alone Version
4.2. 
Microsoft solves this by providing new runtime libraries for Windows so that
stuff that's written to take advantage of new things can run on older
versions of the Windows OS.  But OS/400 is far more robust and uses a
different economic model to produce revenue, so I doubt we'll ever see
anything like that available. 
If IBM would simply build the RPG compile so that it would run on release X
and later we wouldn't have this problems about having to know what release
the customers are on, and needing to write code that is V4R2 compatible;
which is what virtually all software vendors are doing.


Bob Cozzi
Cozzi Consulting
www.rpgiv.com


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Bill Hopkins
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 11:07 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: Character to Numeric can it be cleaned up

The "can it be cleaned up" was really referring the fact that when I went 
though the archive to check out what release %dec could truly be used. I 
had to read though Hans and Brad's banter about stuff that really had 
nothing to do with Character to Numeric at least 20 + emails to find and 
answer that had something to do with topic.

I do wish that v5r1 could do what v5r2 can with the %bifs. But if the 
Client would just move up....

Have a good day.

Bill Hopkins
 




"Carel Teijgeler" <coteijgeler@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
08/16/2003 11:53 AM
Please respond to RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries

 
        To:     rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
        cc: 
        Subject:        Re: Character to Numeric can it be cleaned up


Hans, 

I know that.

But I think the work was half done, as those BIFs only worked with values 
known at compile time (literals, constants) and not with values from 
fields in database files.

So a statement like "Eval     MyNumber = %DEC(MyCharacterField)" will not 
compile on V5R1 and older OS releases. This can be done at V5R2 (I hope). 
To get a numeric value in a character field into a numeric field you have 
to use MOVE. At V5R1 with /free at my disposal. (Joe Pluta's arguments are 
still standing!)

So, I still consider those BIFs useless at those OS levels. I would have 
been better, if IBM had not introduced them at that time.

Regards,
Carel Teijgeler

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 16-8-03 at 9:37 Hans Boldt wrote:

>> Unfortunately, %DEC is not fully matured on V5R1 and only accept values
>> known at compilte time (read: hard coded values). This BIF is therefore 
rather useless at this OS level.
>> 
>> And to think of it: this BIF (and its cousins) were developed to dump 
MOVE in /free. (sic!)
>
>Sorry for the nitpicking, but %DEC, %INT, %UNS, etc. were added to the 
language several releases before /FREE.



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