RE: Service Programs and Naming Conventions

What I do with RPG xTools *SRVPGM is to hard code the signature.
When a new procedure is introduced, it is added to the bottom.
If a replacement procedure is introduced, it is, effectively, a new
procedure so it too is added to the bottom.

There is an exception to this, read on...

If a procedure is to be retired, but needs to continue to be in service
until all existing code that references it is recompiled, thee following is
what I do.

Assume the proc name is FindReplace(). I write a faster or better version
and have the streamline the parameters.
In my binder source I originally have this:

STRPGMEXP  PGMLVL(*CURRENT) SIGNATURE('RPGXTOOLS')   
 EXPORT SYMBOL("aesEncrypt") 
 EXPORT SYMBOL("aesDecrypt")  
 EXPORT SYMBOL("FindReplace_V1")    
 EXPORT SYMBOL("CpyToCsvIFS")    
......
ENDPGMEXP

Now I write a new procedure to replace the old FindReplace routine.
That new procedure is named FindReplace but has a different parameter list.
By different, I mean perhaps I moved from a VARYING parm, to CONST
OPTIONS(*VARSIZE) which would cause the compiler to pass data in a different
form, but would not cause source code changes to the caller. 
So in my binder language I do this:
STRPGMEXP  PGMLVL(*CURRENT) SIGNATURE('RPGXTOOLS')   
 EXPORT SYMBOL("aesEncrypt") 
 EXPORT SYMBOL("aesDecrypt")  
 EXPORT SYMBOL("FindReplace_V1")    
 EXPORT SYMBOL("CpyToCsvIFS")    
...
 EXPORT SYMBOL("FindReplace")    
ENDPGMEXP

Note that I've changed the name of the original FindReplace export to
FindReplace_V1 and inserted a new EXPORT statement with FindReplace.
In my source code I would change the original FindReplace procedure name to
FindReplace_V1 and then create the new FindReplace routine someplace else.

This leaves the old FindReplace in the service program and exported in with
the same ordinal. So a program that is already compiled and is calling
ordinal number 3 (my original FindReplace routine) will continue to call the
original routine because it is not calling it by name, but by export ID or
"ordinal".

When new programs are compiled and use the FindReplace routine, they will
get the new version because the name matches the new EXPORT I've added and
does not match the FindReplace_V1 name in the binder source.
When current programs are recompiled, they too will now use the new version
of FindReplace instead of the old one. 

Again, as long as the parameter list is compatible, this technique works. I
will say I've only done this twice and there are nearly 200 procedures in
RPG xTools, so it doesn't come up too often.



-Bob Cozzi
www.RPGxTools.com
RPG xTools - Enjoy programming again.


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Francis Lapeyre
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 11:51 AM
To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: RE: Service Programs and Naming Conventions

Bob:

That's the way I would do it, also. The whole idea is to do aa little "code
cloning" as possibe; less stuff to maintain that way. Yes, I'm aware that
the old versions in Marvin's model are not supposed to change, but what if
one of them has a bug? You have to know where that code is everywhere on the
system. I'd rather change it in just one place.

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Bob Cozzi
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 11:29 AM
To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: RE: Service Programs and Naming Conventions

If you only add new parameters then adding one with OPTIONS(*NOPASS) or
OPTIONS(*NOPASS : *OMIT) would make no difference in the signature.
I've moved to hard coding the signature in the binder source and adding my
new procedure names to the bottom. That way everything continues to work
without recompiling.
I also always add new parameters with OPTIONS(*NOPASS : *OMIT)

-Bob Cozzi
www.RPGxTools.com
RPG xTools - Enjoy programming again.


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Marvin Radding
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 10:12 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: Service Programs and Naming Conventions


1a. Then when I see module names in upper/lower case that must mean that it
was not written in RPG but probably C or C++

1b. I was planning to use the dots in the name of the module thinking that
it would be hidden inside quote marks.

2. Yes I mean service program.  I understand the need to not disturb the
order as this would force an update of the program, which I am trying to
avoid while making improvements/enhancements to the service program.

On your last statement, wouldn't adding a parameter even if it was
OPTIONS(*NOPASS) change the signature forcing an update of the program?
That is what I am trying to avoid.  I want to make changes and enhancements
without the necessity of updating all program to make sure there won't be
any fatal errors when the user goes to use a program.
The update could take a long time with over 2,000 programs over 6 systems.

Marvin

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Francis Lapeyre
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 8:00 PM
To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: RE: Service Programs and Naming Conventions

1A. OS/400 and the RPG compiler is case-insensitive. Any source you supply
is interpreted as upper case by the compiler. You can use mixed case for
readability, but remember that Foo is the same as fOO and foO.

1B. You can't use dots in a variable name unless you use the QUALIFIED
keyword on a data structure. I'd use an underscore instead.

2. If by "module", you really mean "service program", yes, as long as you
add the new versions after everything else in the service program. Never add
anything in the middle. 

Personally, I would modify the existing function within the service program
to do things the new way, when it is passed an optional parameter
(OPTIONS(*NOPASS)).

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Marvin Radding
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 7:15 PM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Service Programs and Naming Conventions

I am designing a service program and considering version, revisions and
naming conventions.

 

Here's what I am proposing so far.

 

1.      Every program has a name that consists of  upper/lower case
letters ending with a release.version numering.

        a.      How do I get the upper/lower case name?  The D-Spec
always comes out in upper case.
        b.      Can I append a number.number to the end of the name?  I
tried but the compiler rejects the dots.

2.      When an enhancement/improvement is made to a module, the
release.version will change and the new module will be added to the service
program but the old module will not be replaced.  This way no
recompilations/modifications will be necessary.  Is this idea feasible?
Can I added different modules for basically the same program without
encountering any problems as long as the external/exported names are
different?

 

Any idea if this is possible?

 

Marvin

 

 

 

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