RE: [EXTERNAL] Question on file reading

My life on the machine only goes back to 1992 so this is a guess but I'm thinking this originated way back in the days when RPG was primarily a report generator language. When creating a report, it was easy to name a print file field the same as a data file field and then do a read file and write report without a bunch of moves/evals in between. And, with level breaks, you didn't have to worry about comparing current key fields with previous key fields to know if you needed a total.

And, also coming from a COBOL background, this drove me nuts at first. 😊


-----Original Message-----
From: RPG400-L <rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Thomas Burrows
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2020 11:01 AM
To: RPG programming on IBM i <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Question on file reading

Seems like a shortcut that can cost one. Is this a recommended way to populate a Data Structure? Wondering what the group thinks on this?

Personally I do not like these kinds of shortcuts. If someone is not familiar with the shortcut then analysis problems can happen.

Just my opinion.

On Tue, Jun 9, 2020 at 9:58 AM Alan Shore via RPG400-L < rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Thomas
I came from coding in COBOL, where more than one field with the same
name was a compile error You are correct ANY field with the same name
- a stand-alone filed - a field in another file, when a file is read -
the data in those fields are all populated if they are the same name
and size I have grown into a love hate relationship with this MOST of
the time - it can kill you However - there ARE some times it can be
great

Alan Shore
E-mail : ASHORE@xxxxxxxx
Phone [O] : (631) 200-5019
Phone [C] : (631) 880-8640
'If you're going through hell, keep going.'
Winston Churchill

-----Original Message-----
From: RPG400-L [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Thomas Burrows
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2020 10:53 AM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries) <
rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Question on file reading

In RPGIV - maybe this is true in free format - if a Data Structure is
defined with the exact names and sizes of the fields in a file when
the file is read is the data structure automatically loaded?

Personally I have never seen this before.

Thomas
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