unfortunate folks who inherited the database have to use them...or rewrite
everything that touches the files. that's what i have to live with. all
the new tables/files are created using DDL and time/date/timestamp
fields...no more fiddling with numeric (or worse character) date fields.
Thanks,
Tommy Holden
From:
Doug Palme <DPalme@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To:
RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date:
05/13/2008 04:14 PM
Subject:
Re: Quick question on indicators - more philosophical than anything
else
Joe,
Do not even get me started on dates......it is the biggest pet peeve of
mine why anyone is still using anything other than a date data type in a
file.....
From:
Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:
RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date:
05/13/2008 04:06 PM
Subject:
Re: Quick question on indicators - more philosophical than anything else
Doug Palme wrote:
Is anyone still using the old indicator style of INKC, INKA, etc.?
I've almost entirely moved to using numbered indicators (CA03 03),
because then I can use an INDDS and then change them to named
indicators. Some folks prefer the INFDS approach, but I don't.
However, this is one of those few instances where I can't argue tooth
and nail for my position - I don't have a good reason why I prefer
numbered indicators over INFDS. I guess I like write (if ExitKey)
rather than (if key = Exit).
Is there any reason why this should even be used today?
Nope. I can't think of a good reason to use *INKx anymore. In fact,
the only indicator I can see ever showing up in a program is *INLR.
I know some are advocating using no indicators at all in a
program....but
is that not one of the strengths of RPG?
This is a philosophical point. Indicators were great for the original
RPG because space was at a premium and indicators allowed you to test
three conditions using only 9 columns. Way cool. But these days, the
very idea of a numbered indicator is just not justifiable. Named
indicators, sure - they're basically a set of Boolean flags you send
primarily to your user interface to interact with the user. But I can't
see any reason for numbered indicators any more than I can justify
2-digit years.
Joe
midrange.com
