Re: Convert from free to fixed

[Vern Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

 Scott

Allow me to add another benefit of trying what is new in a release. This 
goes back to v5r2, which I consider a pretty significant watershed in 
the RPG language. Complex data structures, using a data structure in the 
result of an I/O operation, *KEY and *INPUT, etc., in defining 
externally-described data areas and the things that use that, assignment 
operators like += (maybe along the cute line but useful). V5R1 had the 
various date/time functions that, to me, so simplified that work - one 
statement in place of at least 3, at times.

So I think that it behooves one to learn the new things, to improve 
productivity by writing less code to do the same work, if nothing else.

Vern

On 9/28/2010 1:34 PM, Scott Klement wrote:
> -snip-
> But I _am_ suggesting that programmers learn these new features, and try
> to use them when they are applicable.  Try to gain value from the new
> features, as they were implemented for a reason.  Believe me, if you try
> to get a new feature implemented in the RPG compiler, it's not done
> lightly.  It requires some serious convincing, and a lot of review by a
> whole bunch of people before anything is ever done.
>
> So when a new feature is added, they almost always offer some sort of
> value.  You should learn this value, and use it in _new_ code, or to
> meet business requirements that involve _updating_ existing code.
>
> -snip-