AW: Physical file used for declaring a data structure

Hi,

in either way I'd put the external data structures into a copy member and
define them as based and embed them into the program.
In this way no storage will be reserved when activating the program and the
fields can only be used to define other fields.

D MyDS E DS EXTNAME(MyFile) Based(DummyPtr)

When using data structures instead of field definitions, zoned fields get
defined as zoned fields (and not as packed fields).
In former times it was much easier to define and change an external data
structure than an internal described data structure.
In either way I'd prefer to have an external data structure than defining
the fields directly.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Birgitta Hauser

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (Les
Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek Bok)
"What is worse than training your staff and losing them? Not training them
and keeping them!"

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] Im
Auftrag von David FOXWELL
Gesendet: Monday, 14. September 2009 11:12
An: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i
Betreff: Physical file used for declaring a data structure

Hi,

We have a few DDS PF that are used uniquely to describe a data structure in
a program.

eg, D MyDS E DS EXTNAME(MyFile)

These files are destined never to contain any data and are even placed in
libraries separate from libraries containing files with data. They are just
there so that the RPG source will compile.

My question is, what's the point of this? Why not just write D specs in a
copy book like one would a prototype?

Thanks