Re: Parameter lists

[Charles Wilt <charles.wilt@xxxxxxxxx>]

Has the PARM opcode always been supported after a CALL?

If so, then the only advantage I can see is more concise c-spec CALL.

Charles

On Thu, Nov 7, 2019 at 3:47 PM Kevin Wright <kevin.wright@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> John isn't questioning the use of parameter lists per se, but the ability
> to call program(s) multiple times with one PLIST defined, usually but not
> always, somewhere near the top of the program source.
>
> This means that to see what is actually being passed he has to take the
> name of the PLIST specified in the result column of the CALL statement and
> use that to search for the PLIST definition. Then he will probably have to
> navigate back to the vicinity of the CALL statement to determine what
> value is being supplied to which parameter in that separate PLIST.
>
> He is asking what the advantage is in doing things this way as against
> using subsequent PARM statements immediately following the CALL statement.
>
> I have no answer to that question, but wish to clarify that this is what
> his question is.
>
> Kevin Wright
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RPG400-L <rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of john
> erps
> Sent: Friday, 8 November 2019 12:32 AM
> To: RPG programming on IBM i <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Parameter lists
>
> Hi all,
>
> In almost every RPG program i see parameter lists are extensively used. I
> like to know the advantage of see as i don't see it. It's rather unique to
> RPG, separating the list of parameters from the actual call.
>
> Every time i see a call i have to go to the beginning of the program to
> see
> the actual parameters that are used. This, for me, is very inconvenient. I
> ever use them. The only "advantage" i see has something to do with
> "reuse".
> Reuse is good, i wish it would be really used in RPG programs more (i.e.
> service program and procedures etc). Instead, we got "parameter lists".
>
> What is the advantage of parameter lists??
>
> I suspect there is no advantage, just "we always do it like that". They
> were just introduced to cope with the limited punch card format. Same with
> key lists actually. But these days we don't have to use them anymore.
> Provided free format RPG is used.
>
> Parameter lists... does anybody know there advantage, besides obscuring
> the
> program??
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