Re: Could RPG become quasi-immune to level checks (was: Are level checks still useful?)

[Scott Klement <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

hi Jeff,

On 11/1/2012 11:43 AM, Jeff Crosby wrote:
> Theoretically, could RPG be enhanced such that the from/to positions are
> _not_ hard-coded at compile time?  Instead, based on field name (whether
> renamed or not), the from/to positions would be established at run time.

That's exactly the way embedded SQL works.  It's already there, waiting 
for you... you just have to use it.

I've also written a native I/O tool that works the same way.  Though, 
there's really no reason to use it, SQL is just better.

Ultimately the problem is you'll eventually need to save the result into 
a variable, and the traditional RPG mindset is to use the exact same 
size variable as the DB field.  And that's where the problems start. If 
you use oversized fields, this wouldn't be an issue, but RPGers always 
struggle to change their mindsets.

Eventually, after fighting yourself to change, you end up saying "what 
was so bad about the level checks to begin with?  I have a tool that 
makes it easy to recompile everything."  And, I tend to agree...  I 
don't find it that cumbersome, these days, to update a file.

But, since the OP did, I thought I'd point out that it's definitely 
possible.