Re: New parameter needed for a subprocedure

[Scott Klement <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi David,

It's my recommendation that you keep your procedures encapsulated and 
stateless -- that will lead to easier maintenance down the road.  With 
that in mind, I suggest the following:

a) Add a new parameter with options(*nopass) as suggested by Michael 
Schutte.

- or, since you don't like that -

b) Rename the existing procedure to a different name.  Let's say it's 
currently called GetWidget().  Rename it to getWidgetEx(), and add the 
new parameter to it.

c) Create a new procedure named GetWidget() -- the same name as the 
original procedure, and give it the same parameters as the original 
procedure.

d) Have GetWidget() call GetWidgetEx().  Have it add the extra parameter 
with a default value before calling.

Assuming that you're using binder source properly, GetWidget() (the new 
one) will now be called by any existing callers.  No need to change 
them.  GetWidgetEx() will have the extra parameters, and can be called 
by new routines that need the extra parameters.

No need for global parameters, or separate routines to return them.



David FOXWELL wrote:
> A new parameter is needed by one of the callers of an exported sub procedure.
>
> Is there any harm in doing this :
>
> Initialize the value of the new parameter in the exported sub procedure.
>
> Add a new exported subprocedure GetNewParameter that returns NewParameter.
>
> The caller that needs the parameter continues to call the original subprocedure as before and then calls GetNewParameter.
>
> Other callers remain unchanged.
>
> Does this make sense or is this just being lazy and are there any risks of it going wrong?
>
> Thanks