Re: Storing Numeric Values in the Database

On Sat, Sep 3, 2011 at 9:11 AM, Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I don't see why a language cannot support both dynamic and static
typing. in effect, the RPG SQL pre compiler does that with the dynamic
sql that is embedded into the RPG code.

Well, the way I see it (and maybe it is not the best way of seeing
it), all of the dynamic parts are delegated to SQL. The part that I
am thinking of as "RPG" is still static. To me, this is already the
appropriate level of dynamic support in the RPG compiler. So many
people are familiar with SQL already, I don't see too much point in
adding more opcodes/specs and complicating the semantics of RPG beyond
what is already there.

Are you suggesting turning RPG into something more like Oracle's
PL/SQL? I actually don't mind PL/SQL, but I wonder if this should be
a "new" language, rather than RPG. Hmm... I guess the question is,
how much of RPG IV should survive in a hypothetical RPG V so that it
is still recognizable as RPG. RPG IV managed to keep virtually all of
RPG III within it, and there were certainly good reasons to do this,
but I'm just worried it's becoming quite the hairy beast.

John