Re: Free format H, F, D and P specs

I almost agree with Alan. Although I do not necessarily need a new
compiler I think that IBM again missed a good chance to really modernize
/free. For example from the day when IBM introduced procedures with V3, I
wonder why we have to use P specs to start/end a procedure and D specs for
the procedure interface. Using only P specs whould have been a lot easier
and clearer (at least for me):


Prototype:

P startsWith...
P P N
P i_prefix 4096A const varying
P i_string 4096A const varying


Implementation:

P startsWith...
P B N export
P i_prefix 4096A const varying
P i_string 4096A const varying
/free

/end-free
P E

I do not believe that having done it this way would have have been much
more expensive.

What I want to say is that on my opinion IBM tends to stay to close to the
old things. IBM prefers using START/END tags where other languages uses
brackets which are often clearer to read. For example:

ctl-opt dftactgrp(*no);
ctl-opt main(main);

dcl-proc main(caller_name char(10) const) {

dcl-c RECORD_LEN 80;
dcl-f qprint printer(RECORD_LEN);

dcl-ds prtDs len(RECORD_LEN) qualified {
*n char(6) inz('Hello'),
name char(50),
};

prtDs.name = transform(caller_name);
write qprint prtDs;

*inlr = '1';

dcl-proc varchar(50) transform(
name varchar(10) const options(*trim)) {
return '*** ' + name + ' ***';
};

Actually there is no need for 'dcl-pi'. There are only procedures and the
main procedure is indicated by 'ctl-opt main(main)' or even just by name:
'main'.

I do not know much about building professionell parsers and compilers but
I do not think that my example would have been that much expensive.
'dcl-proc' is the same and instead of 'end-proc' the compiler had to look
for the closing curly bracket. 'dcl-pi' and 'end-pi' are replaced by
brackets, too.

Just my two cents.

Thomas.

PS: Here is what I actually wished to get:

options dftactgrp(*no), main(main);

procedure main(caller_name char(10) const) {

const RECORD_LEN 80;
file qprint printer(RECORD_LEN);

structure prtDs len(RECORD_LEN) qualified {
*n char(6) inz('Hello'),
name char(50),
};

prtDs.name = transform(caller_name);
write qprint prtDs;

*inlr = '1';

procedure varchar(50) transform(
name varchar(10) const options(*trim)) {
return '*** ' + name + ' ***';
};


rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx schrieb am 07.10.2013 21:57:18:

Von: jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
An: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx,
Datum: 07.10.2013 21:57
Betreff: Re: Free format H, F, D and P specs
Gesendet von: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Simple question to ask yourself Alan - how much would you pay for it?

Your requirement would all but double IBM's maintenance requirements
and thereby costs. Where do the $ come from?


On 2013-10-07, at 2:28 PM, Alan Campin <alan0307d@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The following is my opinion only.

What I don't like about the announcement is that it is in the same
language, RPG IV. I think IBM should have come out with a new version

of

RPG, RPG V or maybe RPGM for RPG Modern with all the free form syntax.

No

support for fixed format at all and all the old garbage out of the
language. A clean spec. A modern compiler built for multi-treading. If

you

want to write modern go with the new language. Maintaining old stuff.

Use

RPG IV or RPG III.


On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 11:58 AM, Luis Rodriguez <luisro58@xxxxxxxxx>

wrote:

On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 1:17 PM, Jon Paris <jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

on

Agree 100%. What I like most of the new syntax is that the /FREE

/END-FREE

combo won't be needed anymore. Nice!! Now, if I only could make

management

agree on a new IBM i :-(

On the other hand, maybe the "hype" before the real announcement was

a

little too much. I was hoping something with more "substance". Maybe

some

new BIFs or something like that...

Regards,

Luis Rodriguez
IBM Certified Systems Expert ? eServer i5 iSeries
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www.SystemiDeveloper.com




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