Re: *INZSR - I still love you!!!

[Hans Boldt <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Bartell, Aaron L. (TC) wrote:
> RPG isn't the only language that has initialize type functions that only
> execute the first time they are called.  When I was programming Java
> Servlets awhile ago I used a init method to create a pool of iSeries
> connections.  I only wanted that to execute when the Java class was first
> loaded by Tomcat and the init methods were my ticket.  I am sure there are
> many other languages out there with the same thing.  Constructors (in any
> language) would also be a comparable to *INZSR. . .
>
> To put it short *INZSR adds functionality to RPG.  If you need it you can
> use it, but make just make sure you understand how it works and you will be
> set (like Cozzi said).
>
> Maybe *INZSR is the poor mans constructor ;-)

Clearly I wasn't the first one to be reminded of constructors in OO 
languages. But there are differences. Constructors are used to 
initialize object instances, a concept which is of course foreign to 
procedural languages like RPG. Generally, in OO languages, you can't 
initialize instance data otherwise.

But in RPG, (apart from that weird opcode RESET, which has no comparable 
analog in any other language, AFAIK) you could just as easily do without 
the *INZSR. Just perform your initializations when you start your 
procedure or program, and you're set.

Cheers! Hans