RE: Reasons for using RPGIV

Another thing to keep in mind is "The customer is always right. At
least until they change their mind."

Gary


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Hockchai Lim
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 1:51 PM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Reasons for using RPGIV

Most will probably disagree but this is from expriences:

I think your best option is try not to get into a head to head battle
with
her about how bad RPG400 is and how super duper RPGIV is. My guess is
that
every compelling reasons you come up with will likely to get shut down.
The
best approach for me seems to be to agree with her that RPG400 should
remain
as one of the primary focus. But the shop should not ban RPGIV or free
form. This will allow growth and not letting shop get too behind on RPG

release. Crack open a little bit will go a long way.

Here are some example on how you can get shut down easily:
1) Local variable ==>
Why do we need that. It is confusing especially some developers create
mutilple local variables with same name.

2) if else indent ==>
We can use STRSRCHLT to indent the RPG400 source easily. You can't even
use
STRSRCHLT on free form. If developer does not indent in free form
correctly, it ends up a mess.

3) Prototype ==>
You meant to tell me that everytime I need to call an external program,
I've
to declare the prototype. What a pain.

4) Long field name ==>
Why would you want such long field name. Most of us already know short
file
field name by heart. Mixing long a short will just create confusion.

. . . .



"sjl" <sjl_abc@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:mailman.38471.1302645343.2702.rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx...

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