RE: Need some ammunition (Procedures vs. Sub-routines)

It was an "IT" directive, but the owner is a DB guy from way back and is
very hands on; changing the policy at this point would almost assuredly
require his buy off. Despite having a fantastic rep with him, he still
looks to the Director of IT and if he says no, its a no. I have to get by
him first.

Here is in essence what I was doing before I was told to revert the code:

I was adding a new procedure to an existing core app. The procedure was
and is totally self contained, does not share global variables and I even
went so far as to declare the work file locally so as to completely avoid
any possible cross contamination. Because there are no othere
"procedures" in the program this was considered going outside our "norm"
and therefore not permitted. Although this same core app has already been
modified with free format, so its moved some just not quite as much as I
would have liked.

I was told such a change, because it was going outside the "norm" would
require every program, screen, function key that was remotely associated
with the process to be fully and completely tested, despite the fact that
the entire change (outside of the procedure itself) was 1 line of
additional code. That's it, a simple call and done.

Of course this completely flies in the face of reality, changing,
modifying or using global variables and files is far more dangerous than
doing so in a self contained encapsulated procedure.

The reason I really think he pushed back, was a couple other programmers
complained about several other programs that were modified with procedures
and he's afraid of the push on this as well.

Dutch

Another point, Dutch. I had the impression that this was an "IT"
directive
from your original message; now you mentioned "owner." This can be
harder;
it can, also, be easier. Is the owner an IT/DB guy or is this just
something some @#$% consultant told him?

I ask because, when I started using ILE RPG at an employer, I was told I
couldn't because (drum roll, please) we had the 36 environment and they
didn't mix. (I hate idiots [i.e., overpaid consultants - but I've made a
lot of money fixing their stuff], but that's another issue.)

Since you're talking, I gather, internal subprocedures, depending upon the
owner's expertise/reticence, maybe do either a code walkthrough (called
"dazzling with footwork" in that case) or a sample program with test for
his/her viewing.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
Sometimes it's to your advantage for people to think you're crazy.
-Thelonius Monk
--
Home Office: 615-832-2730
email: midrange@xxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of RPGLIST
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2013 12:23 PM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries)
Subject: RE: Need some ammunition (Procedures vs. Sub-routines)

External procedures is going to be a big stretch at this point Alan, I'm
just trying to get the owner to buy off on using them internally first.
Even that is difficult right now.

I like Gary's idea - but go one further Try and find 2 OR MORE
programs that have the same lines of code and show the powers that be
that if those lines of code were in a procedure, it would just be a
case of changing ONE thing (after those lines of code were replaced by
the new procedure)

Alan Shore
E-mail : ASHORE@xxxxxxxx
Phone [O] : (631) 200-5019
Phone [C] : (631) 880-8640


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Gary Thompson
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2013 11:59 AM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries)
Subject: RE: Need some ammunition (Procedures vs. Sub-routines)

Sounds like "sub-procedure" has been interpreted as "I plan to inject
our system with this virus I found"
so try switching the focus to "re-usable code" that once thoroughly
tested returns your investment because it is a "known and understood

function".

Yea, I bet you've already beat that drum . . .




-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of RPGLIST
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2013 9:00 AM
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Need some ammunition (Procedures vs. Sub-routines)

I won't go into the entire lengthy and boring conversation I just had
with upper management, but I was basically told that under no

circumstances am

I to add procedures to certain applications. The justification is that
by doing so, we will be required to re-test the entire system,
payroll, dispatch, load balancing, AP, AR, etc.

I however was provided an opportunity to make my case, and I have a
list of reasons, but I need every bit of ammunition I can come up, so
any help from ya'll would be cool.

Dutch


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