RE: Advice passing a large parameter -- RPG400-L

Agreed!

I put a LOT of information (comments) in my /COPY source containing the prototypes. I can simply hover over my procedure and see a detailed description of the call (regardless of the parameter names).

Case in point... this very procedure. Here is what I see when I "hover".

VS_RateShop( inPlist1 LIKEDS(plist1_t) )
VS_RateShop : CHAR(15) EXTPROC ( 'VS_RateShop' )
************************************************************************
------------------------------------------------------------------------
VS_RateShop: Return the Shipping Instruction of the lowest cost service
for a single package shipment. Based on the Rate Shopping Categories in
CTRRSP (Varsity Menu03 Option 3)

Works with SINGLE PACKAGE Shipments ONLY
Selects Rate Shopping Category by matching CRCD/SVTP/SHIN in CTRRSP
01 = UPS Ground Residential & UPS SurePost
02 = FedEx Home Delivery & FedEx SmartPost

Returns original Ship Instructions (PSHIN) when
1. More than one package in shipment
2. PSHIN (Shipping Instruction) not matched to Rate Shop Category
3. Invalid Carrier/Service/GroupId for result
4. Any other error

Input: Varsity PLIST1
Return: Shipping Instruction (15a)

Module: VSUTILR4
------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: RPG400-L [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jon Paris
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2019 12:11 PM
To: RPG programming on IBM i <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Advice passing a large parameter

Sorry - mis-read the Char(15) bit.

I hear what you are saying - but variable naming (and comments in general) is for you. It is for those that follow you. The fact that those who produced the package were foolish is not really a reason to perpetuate it.

It just happens that RPG Guru today is very much on this topic. https://www.itjungle.com/2019/04/15/guru-preamble-comments/ <https://www.itjungle.com/2019/04/15/guru-preamble-comments/>

Jon Paris

www.partner400.com
www.SystemiDeveloper.com

On Apr 15, 2019, at 11:00 AM, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I can't agree more with this simple concept. As an RPG dinosaur who grew up trying to get meaning out of six characters, I always recommend as much information in your variables names as practical. Maybe not COBOL levels of information :), but definitely something meaningful.

On 4/15/2019 9:56 AM, Jon Paris wrote:

As to name - make it meaningful. Parm1 is _ not_ meaningful and neither is PLIST1. _Described_ the data it contains. CustomerInfo or whatever it contains.

--
This is the RPG programming on IBM i (RPG400-L) mailing list To post a
message email: RPG400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe, unsubscribe,
or change list options,
visit: https://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/rpg400-l
or email: RPG400-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives at
https://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l.

Please contact support@xxxxxxxxxxxx for any subscription related questions.

Help support midrange.com by shopping at amazon.com with our affiliate
link: https://amazon.midrange.com

--
This is the RPG programming on IBM i (RPG400-L) mailing list To post a message email: RPG400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: https://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/rpg400-l
or email: RPG400-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives at https://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l.

Please contact support@xxxxxxxxxxxx for any subscription related questions.

Help support midrange.com by shopping at amazon.com with our affiliate link: https://amazon.midrange.com