Re: RPGIII compiler vs Visual Basic

[Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 6/16/05, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > From: Steve Richter
> >
> > CLI ( common language infrastructure ) is the .NET value add that no
> > other platforms have.  It is a specification that all .NET languages
> > adhere to which enables class code written in one language to be
> > referenced from an assembly and used in the code of another language.
> >   CLI and assemblies are what make it possible for a function written
> > in C++ to be used in a java program.
> 
> My big objection to this phrase is the fact that, while OS/400 has no
> explicit CLI, you have been able to do inter-program calls for decades,
> with bidirectional parameters, no less.
> 
> My problem is that CLI is that from what I've seen it's all class-based.
> Only languages that adhere to a strict class-based syntax can play.
> That's a pretty serious limitation, since not all code needs classes.
> In fact, as we've shown over the years, quite a bit of really excellent
> code can be written without classes.

Joe, 

I had the same reaction.  "static" methods are the equivalent of
standalone procedures.  The .NET Convert class is a good example of a
static class.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfSystemConvertClassTopic.asp?frame=true

To convert a string to an integer:
   int PortNx ;
  string PortNumber = "23" ;
 PortNx = System.Convert.ToInt32( PortNumber ) ;

this static method converts a base64 encoded string to an array of bytes:
  byte[] results = System.Convert.FromBase64String( ResponseData ) ;

The DateTime class has a bunch of good static methods:
  DateTime  beginRun = DateTime.Now ;   // the current timestamp
  DateTime endRun = DateTime.UtcNow ; // the current UTC timestamp.

The advantage of static class methods over standalone procedures is
you can make your statics either public or private.   You organize the
statics in a class ( really a namespace ).  Users of your class only
see the public methods. To structure your code you have a bunch of
private static methods that do a lot of the work, only users of the
class dont have to see those methods.

-Steve