RE: Date compare Best Practices -- RPG400-L

In the case where I am, the shop using the cycle, O specs for output, etc... 
IMO they are swamped with work, and cannot afford the investment of time that 
it would take. Most of the employees have been there since early 90's. This is 
what they know. If they have to quickly put out a fire, they want to be able to 
understand the program immediatly. BTW, they do have standards. One extra 
snippet of code that I wrote was rejected (double IF's). Reports must look 
exactly a certain way. 
It makes sense when you see the pressure that they are under. That is the 
explanation for my current place. My first decent job in 18 months so I won't 
even go there in terms of why they won't change, because I am happy.

Rob400

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ile rpg [mailto:ile_rpg_guy@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004, 4:04 PM
> To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: Date compare Best Practices
> 
> It's going to take a few more jobs moving west past Hawaii, I'm afraid.
> 
> Some managers believe what they don't know, nobody else should know.  And 
> there are plenty of departments out there with limited knowledge, and even 
> less understanding, of the forces driving their business.  Without a 
> business perspective, their voices are ignored, and too many programmings 
> think /and act/ like the business exists to keep the IT department busy.  
> Without a business perspective, there are few opportunities for the IT 
> department to propose new projects requiring new thinking and new 
> technology.
> 
> I wonder how many IT departments have given their executives a 20-minute 
> presentation on how the advances in RPG benefit the company, even if the 
> benefit isn't immediately obvious?
> 
> This is a knowledge business, and you can't stop your learning just because 
> the little hand points to the "5".  If you're not advancing, you're falling 
> behind.  It's a mindset...people say, gee, I don't like triggers when they 
> should be peppering their peers with intelligent questions to learn "why".
> 
> It's not about technical skills any more...it's about attitude.
> 
> 
> >From: "Bob Cozzi" <cozzi@xxxxxxxxx>
> >Reply-To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: "'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Subject: RE: Date compare Best Practices
> >Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 16:59:14 -0600
> >
> >The bigger question is why the hell are people not MOVING to RPG IV?
> >I just don't get it, I know about legacy code and not wanting to break it,
> >but if we're doing maintenance... why not convert it?
> >The only reasoning I can think of is that there is an issue with skills.
> >-Bob
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> >On Behalf Of DeLong, Eric
> >Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 4:50 PM
> >To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
> >Subject: RE: Date compare Best Practices
> >
> >Hmm?  The 10000.01 trick only works because RPG compilers before ILE don't
> >care if you truncate numeric digits.  I'd also question whether the RPGIII
> >community REALLY understands why this works.
> >
> >Eric DeLong
> >Sally Beauty Company
> >MIS-Project Manager (BSG)
> >940-898-7863 or ext. 1863
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Booth Martin [mailto:Booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> >Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 4:33 PM
> >To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: Re: Date compare Best Practices
> >
> >
> >I am beginning to get a tad paranoid here.
> >
> >
> >
> >What is wrong with the mult 10000.01 trick?  Obviously the entire RPG III
> >community already understands it.  Also, it works.  Documentation is is no
> >big deal because it is pretty much self-documenting.
> >
> >
> >
> >Just because the other lesser languages cannot rely on the values of their
> >numeric fields is no reason for us to back down and use inferior methods
> >like the hard-to-understand data structure tricks.  ;p
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >---------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Booth Martin   http://www.MartinVT.com
> >
> >Booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >---------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> >-------Original Message-------
> >
> >
> >
> >From: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
> >
> >Date: 02/26/04 14:53:12
> >
> >To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >Subject: Re: Date compare Best Practices
> >
> >
> >
> >Bob Cozzi wrote:
> >
> > > There is nothing wrong with using the "MULT 10000.01" technique in 
> >RPGIII.
> >I
> >
> > > do it every time I need to convert a date in that old language.
> >
> > > If you use it in RPG IV, then you are right it is a questionable choice.
> >
> > > The only other technique in RPG III is to use a data structure, but that
> >can
> >
> > > be a bit more complex that the MULT. If you haven't seen it before then 
> >it
> >
> > > doesn't matter which one you use because the person maintaining the code
> >
> > > after you will have to deal with it, so just be sure to document it
> >
> > > properly.
> >
> > > -Bob
> >
> >
> >
> >Well, once you factor in the necessary comments, moving DS subfields
> >
> >still ends up as fewer source records. Not to mention 100-150 times
> >
> >faster. But why use a clear and efficient programming technique when
> >
> >there are some really cool ways (like that MULT trick) to show off your
> >
> >programming prowess? ;-)
> >
> >
> >
> >Cheers! Hans
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