Re: RPG Education.

[Jerry Adams <jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike,


I have no experience with the classes mentioned below.  I checked the 
web site referenced in an earlier email and they all appear to be 
"classroom" setting as opposed to "self-paced".  The last time I took an 
IBM course it was the latter.  There are advantages both ways: I like 
having someone of whom I can ask questions; self-paced is usually 
cheaper.  I initially learned RPG II at IBM PI classes, and they were 
pretty good.  Things didn't really start to sink in, though, until I had 
a chance to actually code real programs ("Subroutines?  We don't need no 
stinking subroutines!")


I would, as a past corporate instructor of RPG (in an earlier life), 
make some general recommendations.  Don't try to take one course right 
after the other.  Learn the principles of RPG IV; use them in real 
settings.  Then progress to the next step.  Jon and Bob, who still 
actually give classes in RPG, may have a different perspective on that, 
and if your company was paying one of them to come on-site, pushing 
everything into 2-5 days would probably be the most feasible way to go.  
But my brain gets overloaded after five days at COMMON (probably a 
personal issue, though).


It's hard to say from just the descriptions what the steps should be, 
but here's a guess. 


Arrays and data structures are pretty fundamental to RPG. 
Subfiles are a bit more advanced, but still fundamental.
ILE concepts (subprocedures, service programs, and prototyping) are 
still more advanced.  You may even find (as I have) that you want to go 
back and re-write some of the earlier programs to gain some benefits.


I'm a little puzzled about why there would be three classes on dates.  
Most of the books you already mentioned, plus the RPG Reference manual, 
cover date data types pretty well.


After all of that, if the course listings indicate specific 
prerequisites, use it.  IBM has professional instructors design and 
teach their classes; if they specified that Class A is a prerequisite 
for Class B, believe 'em. 



        * Jerry C. Adams
*IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale Distributors, Inc.* *
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        615.995.7024
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        jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>



Mike Troxclaire wrote:

> Great, I would love to get my hands on Bob's book as soon as it is 
> out. I have been communicating with IBM also and I think they have a 
> pretty decent course which meets my requirements very closely...
>
> # Use OVERLAY and related Data Description Specifications (DDS) 
> keywords to
> develop efficient interactive programs
> # Write interactive programs that support inquiry of subfiles
> # Write interactive programs that support maintenance of subfile records
> # Use arrays and data structures in RPG IV programs
> # Develop RPG IV programs that anticipate and manage common errors and
> exceptions
> # Define date and time data
> # Calculate durations between two dates
> # Extract month, day or year components of date data
> # Use prototyping to Call other programs
> # Write RPG IV subprocedures
> # Write Integrated Language Envoirnment (ILE) modules and include those
> modules in program objects using bind by copy and bind by reference
>
> I am really looking at the above course. Does anybody have any idea as 
> to how fruitful these courses are? I have never attended courses 
> taught by IBM but attended several conferences and I think the 
> speakers are very well versed with the subject matter but it could be 
> a totally different story with the instructors. Any advice on this 
> will be greatly appreciated.
>
> cheers,
>
> Mike.
>
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