RE: [RPGNext] Encapsulation Article

["Bartell, Aaron L. (TC)" <ALBartell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well written article!

Our shop has gone through the motions of encapsulating file access twice
in the past couple years and each time we come up empty handed because
it takes way to long to write all the different scenarios of file usage.
What I mean by that is we have  files with 40 to 50 fields and 5 to 10
logicals over them, which would leave you with a whole ton of sub procs
to write to facilitate partial key SETLL, CHAIN, and READE... etc.  

Just curious how far you have taken this model and what your challenges
have been?

One thing we have done to still encapsulate yet alleviate the
aforementioned problems is to adopt a more Service Oriented Architecture
(SOA) model.  With this model we would have one service program
providing the interface to many files that are similar in business
nature (i.e. all customer files would be interfaced by one service pgm)
and then other programs (possibly from other SOA's) consume "interfaces"
we have exposed through the customer service program (i.e. functions
like AddCustAddress(addressDS), deleteCustomer(12332),
updCreditCode('D')). Behind the scenes of each of those functions or sub
procs are accessing many different files.

The best part about this approach is I get to retain my investment in
RPG file access which is second to none (from my programming
experience).  Within my SOA I go directly to the files and I still only
have one service program working with that particular set of files.  

Thoughts?

Aaron Bartell

-----Original Message-----
From: rpgnext-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpgnext-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:01 AM
To: rpgnext@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RPGNext] Encapsulation Article

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to let you know, in case you don't subscribe to
MidrangeServer.com's "Guru" publications, I have a new article posted
there this morning.  The article is entitled "Encapsulating File Access
in a Service Program".  If you'd like to read it, here is the link:

http://www.midrangeserver.com/fhg/fhg072104-story01.html

Enjoy!

Joel
http://www.rpgnext.com


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