Re: Storing Numeric Values in the Database

On Sat, Sep 3, 2011 at 1:33 PM, Jon Paris <jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 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.

That isn't really what happens if you think about it Steve.

The SQL portion is only dynamic in the sense that the statement can be dynamically built etc. but in order to do anything with the data retrieved within the RPG context you have to associate named pre-defined host variable fields with the results of the queries.

There are languages - PHP for one - on the IBM i that are dynamically typed, why not use those. Of course it is possible to have the RPG compiler modified to handle dynamic typing as well as static but it isn't going to happen in any meaningful timeframe that I can see.

I agree with this, Jon. I was replying within the context of native
RPG which statically binds the record layout to the database file.
Something else that always distracts me on the topic of RPG SQL and
what RPG can and cant do is the topic of precompiler support on the
system. The precompiler and its support for multiple views of the
program source is really well done. One of the strongest features of
the system. If C# ( or Java ) had precompiler support you would be
able to take an RPG procedure and use it as a native C# static method.
Using the precompiler APIs you can morph RPG into whatever you want
it to be.

-Steve