Parameters (was: Re: STRDBG giving wrong data)

[DAsmussen@xxxxxxx]

Hans,

In a message dated 2/14/00 11:25:24 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
boldt@ca.ibm.com writes:

> >Perhaps Hans can expound on the underlying technical reasons for this
>  >long-time and _ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS_ behavior of long RPG parameters
>  >passed from CL (an explanation of 15 and 5 numerics would be nice, as 
well).
<<snip>>
  
>  Hey, ask me an easy question, like "What are next Wednesdays
>  lottery numbers?"

LOL!

>  I believe the CL parameter passing protocols go back to the
>  S/38.  RPG III in those ancient days supported only 15 digit
>  numerics, which partially explains things.

There's one explanation, anyhow!  Sometimes, you've been using "workarounds" 
for so long, you forget why...

>  Perhaps the reason for the behavior was to encourage
>  programmers to implement command interfaces for all
>  user-callable programs.

Tough to implement a command interface to programs accepting multiple 
(hexadecimal) 256 byte parameters!

Thanks!

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what others say you cannot do."  -- 
Walter Bagehot
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