Re: Define field as an indicator in D-specs

[Charles Wilt <charles.wilt@xxxxxxxxx>]

False...  :)

The RPG reference is quite clear

if <indicator expression>

"The operations controlled by the IF operation are performed when the
expression in the indicator-expression operand is true."

Since an indicator by itself is a valid indicator-expression,
       myInd = *ON;
       if myInd;
         dsply 'on=true';
       endif;

*ON does indeed mean true.  For that matter this works:

       if '1';
         dsply '1=true';
       endif;

I do find it interesting that this doesn't compile:
       if *ON;
         dsply '*on=true';
       endif;

The idea that true=1 and false = 0 is pretty much universal.  (Well
technically it's really false = 0 and true = not false.  But true = 1 is
pretty common since binary bits are either on = 1 or off = 0)

Charles




On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 1:35 PM, Monnier, Gary <Gary.Monnier@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Frankly *ON and *OFF do not equate to true and false except by your
> design.   They just mean '1' and '0'.  You can make this mean anything you
> want.  Barbara's comment about making them constants was a good one.  Many
> shops use this technique.
>
> One big issue with many developers for as long as I've been around is
> assuming everyone will understand their logic.  With some developers their
> thinking is quite clear.  With others you feel like you have to take a trip
> around the world and back then unwind a ball of twine to figure out what
> they did.
>
> I suspect IBM will add them eventually.  RPG gets more and more like other
> languages all the time.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Englander, Douglas
> Sent: Friday, December 06, 2013 10:16 AM
> To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Define field as an indicator in D-specs
>
>
> I'm not confused. I don't understand why someone would want to write more
> code than they have to.
>
> If people steeped in other languages can't figure out what is meant by *ON
> and *OFF, then we, as developers, have bigger issues.
>
> Maybe we should ask IBM to include *TRUE and *FALSE as additional ways to
> signify *ON and *OFF.
>
> --
> This is the RPG programming on the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries) (RPG400-L)
> mailing list To post a message email: RPG400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe,
> unsubscribe, or change list options,
> visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/rpg400-l
> or email: RPG400-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives at
> http://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l.
>
> --
> This is the RPG programming on the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries) (RPG400-L)
> mailing list
> To post a message email: RPG400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
> visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/rpg400-l
> or email: RPG400-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
> at http://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l.