RE: Arrays -- RPG400-L

There was a recent article in, I believe in Iseries News, on using Keyed Data 
Queues to support sorting on any column. Using QSORT or User Indexs would work, 
also.  

-----Original Message-----
From: rob@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:rob@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 1:41 PM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: Arrays


Ok, I understand what you say about performance tuning.  RPG has those 
issues too, like figuring out record blocking, primary vs SETLL/READ, etc.

Some application questions though.
1)  If a user said "On this inquiry screen I would like to position my 
cursor on any column and sort by that column (and you have seven columns) 
would you:
a - Create 7 logicals and use RPG native I/O
b - Front end the code with OPNQRYF (but since I don't use that I forget 
if you have to redefine the key on the f-spec to match the sort order)
c - Use SQL
d - Tell the user it can't be done.
e - Offload the data to another platform and have them manipulate it 
there.
f - Put it on your to-do list, but always at the bottom priority to never 
get done.

Rob Berendt
-- 
Group Dekko Services, LLC
Dept 01.073
PO Box 2000
Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com





Tony Carolla <carolla@xxxxxxxxx> 
Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
03/29/2005 02:03 PM
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RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>


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Subject
Re: Arrays






<snip>
> SQL is well worth the coin paid to obtain it.  Harness it's power & 
you'll
> never want to type the command WRKQRY again....
< Thanks,
< Tommy Holden
</snip> 

Haven't typed in WRKQRY in years (~10). 


> I don't find it "that complex".
> Even Joe Pluta occasionally finds SQL useful.  I think that if you never
> use it, then it is like the person who finds he can get everything done
> with a hammer; when it is the only tool in their toolbox.
> 
> Rob Berendt

I don't find SQL too complex by any means.  I find it simple, and have
used it on many platforms.

I guess I see it this way:  You can build your SQL statements, and
build your summaries "on the fly" with no extra code (SQL is code,
BTW), but when you run them, and they take long, what can you do? 
Index.  Study the query optimizer -- what is it choosing?  Why won't
it use my index?  Which type of index?  EVI?  Can I bribe the crazy
thing?  Will it use the index when the user hits the view a little
differently?

I have spent alot of time studying indexing, on DB2 and SQL server as
well.  It is fascinating, but I just find it easier to analyze the
data request I am building, and make my own 'access plan', write the
code to do it, and it's done.  I would bet that any quick-running SQL
statement can be made to run just as fast or even faster using RPG.



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