RE: Efficacy of code generators -- MIDRANGE-L

Pat,

You wrote "For all programmers on this list who have ever had to follow a
'creative' programmer and make changes to their code, know what I'm talking
about."  I'd be surprised if there were many that didn't...

Now me...  I've worked long enough in one job that I've had to follow up on
my OWN code...  That'll learn ya, real quick...!

jt


| -----Original Message-----
| From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
| [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Pat Barber
| Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 10:23 AM
| To: midrange-l@midrange.com
| Subject: Re: Efficacy of code generators
|
|
| At one time early in my career, I considered CASE tools as a really
| bad way to generate lots of code. After having followed many of the
| so called "loose cannons" in several installations, I have decided
| that "certain" case tools really might not be so bad. A case in point
| is "master file maintenance" which every single shop has many, many of.
|
| It's not uncommon to find at least a dozen different styles of "master
| file maintenance" when in reality, all most need is just one. I was
| given an example of a "Work with File" many years ago that was generated
| by a commercial package(still being sold). After using this program as
| a "model" for many other master file applications, I have come to the
| conclusion that this application has really "long legs" in respect to
| a case tool generated application.
|
| This was "the model" that IBM had started to promote as the correct
| way to achieve a consistant use of interactive applications.
|
| That model remains to this day, as the exact way almost all interfaces
| to OS/400 currently are.
|
| Case tools aren't the final answer, but in some cases they are a
| wonderful
| solution to a common problem.
|
| For all programmers on this list who have ever had to follow a
| "creative"
| programmer and make changes to their code, know what I'm talking about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Buck Calabro wrote:
| >
| > [Talking about code generators/CASE tools]
| >
| >
| >
| > In this day and age, we don't write a 3 program application anymore.
| > Requirements are more complex, resulting in more complex
| solutions.  From my
| > limited experience, far too many "creative" programmers are
| loose cannons in
| > the complex modern environment.  It's simply not possible to
| "know" all of
| > the source code in a modern application, but how often have we heard
| > somebody complain that they can't follow the code because of
| those darned
| > "/COPY" statements or subroutines or subprocedures.
| >
| > CASE tools ARE efficient because they let an average programmer produce
| > above average quality in her application.
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