Exactly right.
So many rules I could tell you, but bottom line is do only what is needed, each time it's needed. The old adage "if it ain't broke..." doesn't exactly apply, because being as old as it is, it COULD be considered "broke". But that's a philosophy for later.
1) if you have to change it, convert it first. I am pretty sure that RPGIII conversion to RPGIV (CVTRPGSRC) still works for a vast percentage of code. If it can't be converted by that, then don't spend too much time figuring it out unless you have the time. After that, you'll at least have the outline available, even if you don't use the converted code. Finding your way back into the original isn't that hard.
2) spend SOME time each day on conversion, even 15 minutes can accomplish a lot. Make a plan and stick to it as much as possible. But don't bother unless the program is used.
3) Don't do wholesale conversion. That's and elephant to be sure.
4) I'm not familiar with change management systems, but if you can, go outside of it and start over with a new program name. Keep the old stuff so you can refer to it, and if the CM system will allow, link it to the new name for referral.
5) Consider it a "5 year plan". As Bridgitta quotes "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (Les Brown) So what if you don't get every last stinkin' line of code rewritten, you'll be farther along than you were if you never took another step.
I'll almost guarantee you will save time on programming later if you do it. Now whether or not you save as much as you spend, that's unknown, and I wouldn't recommend trying to keep track. However, my estimates are that totally free format saves about 40% on keystrokes alone. Not having to figure out RPGIII, "priceless".
Duane
-----Original Message-----
From: WDSCI-L [mailto:wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Vernon Hamberg
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 12:57 PM
To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio Client for System i & iSeries <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] Outline view and old code
Man, did I ever have to hunt for that one!!
Do I take it rightly that you refer to tackling things 1 small bite at a time?
If so, I would say we have a pretty large code base, some written 25 or more years ago. There's no way to justify eating even a little of THAT elephant, seems to me - we have too many current requests to fulfill.
Now I know some strategies - convert CLP to CLLE, maybe. (Of course, CLLE is also not well-supported in the outline.) And one COULD do an RPG conversion, I suppose. But that can really mess up change-management stuff, the history gets pretty lost in some of those products.
So it's just not always practical to make a wholesale change just for the sake of the change.
Now ask me about stuff in code that I've not seen in those 25 years, maybe hardly when I was in computer school!!
Cheers
Vern
On 2/24/2016 11:35 AM, Duane Scott wrote:
"Eat an elephant"
-----Original Message-----
From: WDSCI-L [mailto:wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Terry
Hertel
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 12:24 PM
To: wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [WDSCI-L] Outline view and old code
" Now if it would work with CL and RPGIII, etc." ..... I agree. Our third-party ERP and financial systems were written in RPGIII and have been heavily modified. There is no way we would spend the time or money to convert those systems to RPGIV.
------------------------------
message: 4
date: Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:11:52 -0600
from: Vernon Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] Outline view and old code
I use the outline a lot. Yes, I could use the filter view to see only the procedure starts & ends, but the outline is better.
I find the usage bits to be very helpful - I mean the lists of which lines the procedures, fields, etc., are used. For fields, some are marked with M or D (I think the latter is done), which is very like what the listing would have. In addition, it is easy to tell when some element is not being used. I've been known to have an extra parameter or 2, and this helps me clean up things.
I do find I can move about more quickly - much faster than searching for a name of a procedure or whatever else.
Now if it would work with CL and RPGIII, etc.
Vern
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