I like the idea of learning Python on your PC. That is what I've
always recommended, though honestly just jumping in with Python on IBM
i wouldn't be wrong.
There are a bewildering number of resources for learning Python, but I
learned the language through the tutorial in the documentation:
https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/index.html
I actually don't think I use Python as Jack describes, though it's
possible I'm misunderstanding Jack. Almost all our CLPs are the kind
Buck talked about.
Python is a good choice for the "create an Excel workbook and email it
to the recipient" portion of a report job.
It's also a good choice for all other portions of a report job, but I
know that's a lot to ask some people to wrap their heads around.
Python is, in my opinion, a much better SQL host language than RPG,
and I use it as such.
I disagree somewhat with Buck about the power of the language apart
from libraries. I agree that libraries are perhaps the biggest value
of Python. But that applies to almost any programming language. That's
because a library is a big chunk of code that you didn't have to write
(and test!) yourself, and there is huge value in that.
The Python core language is very powerful. Perhaps deceptively so,
because it's so simple-looking.
John Y.
midrange.com
