RE: Why RPG IV .....

[Holden Tommy <Tommy.Holden@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I see your point...however if I set DATFMT to *MDY for the program I can
STILL define a date field with DATFMT(*ISO)...

Since the date field in the DSPF is defined as *MDY why SHOULD the program
date format override the file definition....????


Thanks,
Tommy Holden


-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Paris [mailto:Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 1:02 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Why RPG IV .....



 >> sounds reasonable that if the date field is defined with a date
 >> format that the RPG compiler SHOULD keep the date format...

And it will - if you follow the rules.

1) If the field is explicitly defined in a DS in the program the format is
honored.  So using an externally described DS (or LIKEREC definition) based
on the screen will do the job.

2) If that isn't possible, by default the format of a date is changed to the
default for the program - so if all dates are *MDY then DatFmt(*MDY) on the
H spec will do the job.

A DCR will do no good.  The design has worked this way since the first
release of RPG IV.  I don't happen to like it, but was modeled on the
behavior of numeric fields (always converted to packed except as noted at 1)
above) and will not change now.  It would cause too many incompatibilities.



Jon Paris
Partner400
www.Partner400.com


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