RE: %Trim dilemma

Well that plus the ability to actually do 

<snip>
If RPG had full NULL support, you could simply have:
> 
> fdate = someDate;  
> 
> If someDate was NULL, then fdate would be null.
</snip>

Then we'd be rockin' 


Thanks,
Tommy Holden


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Wilt, Charles
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 3:05 PM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: **SPAM** RE: %Trim dilemma

Bob,

It looks like RPG is getting closer.  I didn't realize that you could
have an externally defined DS in RPG with null capable fields.

"Null-capable fields in externally-described data structures If the file
used for an externally described data structure has null-capable fields
defined, the matching RPG subfields are defined to be null-capable.
Similarly, if a record format has null-capable fields, a data structure
defined with LIKEREC will have null-capable subfields."

Looks like something new with v5r3.

I think this capability will take care of most of my concerns, I'll have
to play with this some.

But all that is left is an ALWNUL keyword for the d-specs to take care
of standalone variables and non-externally defined DS's.



Charles Wilt
--
iSeries Systems Administrator / Developer
Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America
ph: 513-573-4343
fax: 513-398-1121
  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Wilt, Charles
> Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 3:53 PM
> To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
> Subject: RE: %Trim dilemma
> 
> Bob,
> 
> Asking what's a "NULL variable" is a good question.  The only answer I
> can come up with is, it depends! <grin>
> 
> I don't know how oracle stores strings.  But for example,
> CREATE TABLE CMWTEST (F1 VARCHAR (10 ) NOT NULL) 
> 
> INSERT INTO cmwtest VALUES('')
> 
> Fails in Oracle, ORA-01400: cannot insert NULL into <...>
> 
> Whereas it works fine in DB2.
> 
> 
> As far as RPG and "full NULL support", what I mean is given this code:
> 
> If not %nullind(someDate);
>   //do something with some date
> Endif;
> 
> Will work if somedate is a field in a table, but it won't work if
> somedate is an RPG internal field.
> 
> So when using RPG with files that support NULL, you have to 
> do something
> like
> 
> If someDateValid;
>   %nullind(fdate) = *OFF;
>   fdate = someDate;
> Else;
>   %nullind(fdate) = *ON;
> Endif;
> 
> If RPG had full NULL support, you could simply have:
> 
> fdate = someDate;  
> 
> If someDate was NULL, then fdate would be null.
> 
> 
> 
> Charles Wilt
> --
> iSeries Systems Administrator / Developer
> Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America
> ph: 513-573-4343
> fax: 513-398-1121
>   
>