Re: Reasons for using RPGIV

Thanks for the response, Gary - you are obviously a convert!

I already had some of those listed as advantages of using RPGIV, but you
mentioned a couple that I missed.

You work for Terex, as in monster machines?

IIRC, they make the largest dump truck in the world. I did not know that
Terex is an IBM i shop...

- sjl



Gary wrote:

1. She is afraid to leave her comfort zone. ILE is viewed as
frightening.

2. She doesn't want to learn D-specs. She is very comfortable with
I-specs.

3. Field sizes can be larger. They don't have to have starting and
ending entries only the length and data type.

4. Field names can be longer. This makes internal documentation a bit
clearer.

4. Pointers to user spaces are supported. This can really speed things
up.

5. ILE is "extensible". For example, you can bind in C functions to
verify an email address is formatted correctly via REGEX.

Or you can write your own functions that can be called recursively
without abnormally ending the program.

6. RPG/400 does not support BIFs. %TRIMx() and %LEN() are very handy
when handling strings.

7. API usage is much easier.

8. Internal documentation can be made clearer. A subroutine named
SendAnErrorMessageToTheUser says a lot more than SAEMTTU.

9. There are numerous ways to solve a problem.

10. As a JDE shop you may one day end up an Oracle shop. Better get
used to a language that uses a ; to end a statement.





Gary



-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of sjl
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 2:55 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Reasons for using RPGIV



I am involved in a philosophical argument with one of the lead
developers in

the JDE/Oracle V5R4 shop where I have been working as a consultant for
the

last five years.



If I understand her correctly, her argument is that as a JDE shop that
we

should NOT be using RPGIV at all, and that we should be writing /all/
code

in RPG/400. I don't necessarily disagree, in the case of simple mods to
an

existing JDE program, but I would argue that /all/ new development
should be

done in free-form RPGIV.



Background:

We currently have a mixture of OPM and RPGIV code.



Some of the RPGIV is programs that have simply been run through
CVTRPGSRC to

convert them to fixed-form ILE source, other RPGIV code includes several


including entire sub-systems which have been written entirely in
free-form

RPGIV utilizing service programs and binding source.



Other than hitting the RPG/400 compiler limits on the number of arrays,

tables, and files (which necessitates converting the program to RPGIV in


order for it to compile successfully), she wants me to present five

compelling reasons to justify the use of RPGIV, particularly free-form
RPGIV

code.



Any thoughts? I need ammunition!



- sjl