RE: Good places to use "The Cycle" in today's RPG

Chris,

I understand the comment about spaghetti code since, as a (more or less) former RPG II programmer, I've seen multiple GOTO statements (in one case I recall, dozens) that all pointed to the same TAG. That program, on average, blew up once a week. It was a nightmare to debug (System/3 - no STRDBG or such tool; just eyeballs).

As you correctly point out, the use of ITER/LEAVE is a matter of opinion and preference. Others have already pointed out that ITER and LEAVE are unlike GOTO's because of their built-in limitation.

In practice I use both methods. I do not find either, in most cases, more or less understandable than its cousin. But I'll admit that I am the only RPG programmer in this shop. My boss, who is a VB programmer (and other such nonsense), has no problem reviewing my code (at least since I switched to /free format a few years ago). I don't know if there are ITERs or LEAVEs in VB or .Net, but the concept/purpose appears to be easily grasped.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chris Pando
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 2:28 PM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i
Subject: Re: Good places to use "The Cycle" in today's RPG

On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 1:35 PM, Marvin Radding
<marvin.radding@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

... snip ...

Using leave or iter is good structured programming

If this thread has established anything, it's that
the sentiment above is a matter of opinion.
I fall into the 'use of ITER indicates lack of
analysis' camp. But that is just my opinion.

I don't believe LEAVE ad ITER are structured;
I developed a severe distaste for spaghetti code as
an RPGII programmer, and I believe use of LEAVE
and ITER leads to spaghetti code. Again,
just opinion, and stated as such (as opposed
to your statement of fact, above).

Chris
--
"Computer science is no more about computers
than astronomy is about telescopes."
- Edsger Dijkstra