RE: Two Questions.

[Ken Sims <mdrg5003@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Shaheen -

> The reason I asked two questions is because we have some old RPG programs 
> where we hard coded the length of the externally defined files in a data 
> structure and then use this data structure to CALL RPG/CL programs. 
> Whenever we add/change fields into these files we have to go to the 
> individual programs (RPG/CL) to change the length of the data 
> structures/Fields.
> Now I know I can change my RPG programs to get the current record length 
> of the files instead of hard coded length but this can't be done in CL 
> programs.

If the CL programs are receiving the record as a parameter and passing it 
on other programs without doing anything with it, it doesn't matter what 
length you define it as in the CL programs, because the storage is owned by 
whatever program initially defines the data structure not as an entry 
parameter.

For the RPG programs, and for the CL programs if needed, since you just 
want a big field with no subfields, you can't be concerned about the actual 
data.  If you are careful, you can define a field much bigger than the 
current data structure.  As long as your record length doesn't grow beyond 
the length of the big field, you don't have to change the size of the field.

--
Ken
http://www.ke9nr.net/
Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of 
my employer or anyone in their right mind.