Re: free form RPG reference -- RPG400-L

It depends on the programmer. Of course, they can be forced into change, but
if not forced, some may never change. Others will look for every new thing
and try it, whether it makes sense or not. I've found that AS/400/iSeries/i5
programmers tend to stay with what's comfortable. Also, a lot of i5
programmers have only worked with RPG - exposure to other
languages/environments helps make one aware of possibilities.

On 10/12/06, Bob Dobrowolski <r.dobrowolski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


Lim,

Good luck.  You are fighting an old and common battle.  If the other
"programmers" can't see the benefit of the cleaner code, easier to use
op codes, and greater functionality and flexibility of free format, then
I feel sorry for them.  One thing that worked here was to show them how
much easier it was to code in free format with WDS cans RSE.  Maybe that
will work for you.  Good Luck.

--
Thanks,
Bob Dobrowolski
Sr. Programmer Analyst
Star Stainless Screw Co.
973-256-2300  x232
-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lim Hock-Chai
Sent: Thursday, 12 October, 2006 10:24
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: free form RPG reference

Yeap.  I use local variable a lot.  But some programmers think that they
are confusing and useless.  For them, it ain't that hard to define a new
global variable and the "best" part is that the global variable is more
"powerful", you can access it from anyway in the program.

My problem is going to be how to come up with a proposal that has enough
ROI to out weight the "standard" or what majority of programmers in the
shop used to.

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Michael_Schutte@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 9:10 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: free form RPG reference

My own experiences have shown that I can code programs faster in /free.
I don't have to worry about if I'm in the right column and can just code
away.

I know longer define key list on I/O operations.   I put the key right
on
the i/o statement.  for example    chain (field1:field2) somefile;  So
that
the next person coming in can see immediately what I'm chaining with,
without having to search for the keylist.




Dig in! Bob Evans New Knife & Fork Sandwiches - This much homestyle
goodness demands a Knife & Fork!


rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote on 10/12/2006 10:05:31 AM:

> Maybe RPG is mostly used in business world and in business "standard"
> out weight anything that doesn't have any significant ROI.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lim Hock-Chai
> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 9:00 AM
> To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
> Subject: RE: free form RPG reference
>
> It always sound strange for me to use learning curve as an excuse to
> request all developers to not use/explore new feature of a language
> that the developer is supposed to master in.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jonathan Mason
> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 2:34 AM
> To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
> Subject: RE: free form RPG reference
>
> Hi Tom
>
> > How could this become a "management approval" item? How is it
> > different
> from using an API that
> > became available for V5R1 or a new IBM command? Especially, how is
> > it
> different from using a new
> > %bif or any other feature of a language?
>
> It's very different because it has an impact on the whole RPG
> programming department.  Use of a new %BIF or command can have an
> impact
> - I've been in a number of sites where new %BIFs weren't allowed
> because of variations in operating system levels.
>
> The change to free format RPG requires some degree of a learning curve

> which by its nature will reduce the programming efficiency of the
> programmer involved and there is also the problem of having to
> maintain something you may not be familiar with.  A lot of places will

> stick with fixed format RPG purely because that's what their
> programmers know and is also what their packaged software is written
in.
>
> I've worked at a number of sites in the UK and at one of them, a major

> automotive company, a contractor had to ask for permission to code a
> program in RPG IV simply to get around a field/record size limit.
> That was 5-6 years ago and I doubt if there programming standards have

> changed much since then.
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
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