Re: API data type prototyping

Pete


Leif Guldbrand wrote:

Pete,

You're welcome - I owe you a favor - showing my site at a session @ Common
(Open Source).

Then post it all in a more or less central place (like Midrange.com.....)

It has been discussed before recently (was it you that raised it ?)... to no avail. Though... http://www.as400pro.com is trying to do something like you say - a central place with links to many sites.

Take a look - and give them feedback for your thoughts.

(I'm not afili...a.s.o - that said... I dont know them, but they seem to work 
hard
collecting links to iSeries stuff :-)

Leif ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pete Helgren" <Pete@xxxxxxxxxx>

To: "RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 18. juli 2005 20:42
Subject: Re: API data type prototyping

Thanks Leif and Jonathan.

Just what I was looking for!  I knew I had seen that somewhere before.

We need more "Getting Started in ..." documents though. Even though I have been coding RPG for 20 years (yikes!) API's were NOT part of my vernacular until very recently. If we really want to get folks moving to RPG IV I think "Getting Started in..." and "Nutshell" (to rip off O'Reilly...) booklets would be an excellent way to do it. Then post it all in a more or less central place (like Midrange.com.....)

Pete


Leif Guldbrand wrote:

Hi Pete,

Not sure, but could it be Barbara Morris's article ??
www.Think400.dk/adhoc_2.htm#eks0010

Leif

----- Original Message ----- From: "Pete Helgren" <Pete@xxxxxxxxxx>

To: "RPG Midrange Discussion" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 18. juli 2005 19:15
Subject: API data type prototyping

Seemed to me that there was a post, way back when, that had some instructions for mapping API data types to RPG types. Perhaps there is an FAQ somewhere?

What I would like is some general instructions on how to properly define variables in my prototypes for system API calls. For example, I am working with QSZRTVPR API and it has the following format:

1     Receiver variable     Output     Char(*)
2     Length of receiver variable     Input     Binary(4)
3     Format name     Input     Char(8)
4     Product information     Input     Char(*)
5     Error code     I/O     Char(*)

Optional Parameter:

6     Product information format name     Input     Char(8)

What I would like is something that says:

Binary(4) maps to 10I
Char(*) maps to (? don't know)
Char(8) to 8A

Also whether or not the value keyword is needed. Anything special for I/O vs Input or output. That kind of thing.

Yes, this is basic stuff and yes, I suppose a properly trained RPG programmer would know this stuff, but I recently transitioned to RPG IV (free form mostly) and some of this stuff is just tough to get your arms around (especially when Java and C++ also intrude into the programming mix on a daily basis).

Perhaps an FAQ entitled "How to prototype and use system API's"? Although I know we can't document all the API's, general "rules" about how to do it would be helpful. Perhaps it is already in a post. If so I'd gladly format them into an FAQ or stuff them in the Wiki.

Seems that I have seen something like this somewhere in the past...if so, sorry for the waste of time...could you point me to it.

Pete Helgren

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