Re: Free Form RPG Opinions Wanted

[Hans Boldt <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe Pluta wrote:
> > From: rob@xxxxxxxxx
> >
> > But honestly Jerry, there are several new operation codes and
> > BIF's coming
> > out that will either only work in free format, or are really enhanced in
> > free format.
>
>
> Uh oh.  Where is this documented, Rob?
>
> There is absolutely no good reason, and no defensible rationale, for a BIF
> put into free-form to not be included in RPG IV.  The parser already exists,
> and the code generator already exists.  It's not like a BIF in free-form is
> somehow different than the same BIF in RPG IV.
>
> As to new opcodes, I'd have to see them, but I'm again of the mind that
> anything that can fit into free-form can fit into an RPG IV expression.  The
> difference between the two should only be form, not function.  Otherwise,
> you're killing off the RPG IV base.

To clarify, there are no opcodes that work only in free-form calcs. 
But there are certain syntactical forms that only work in free-form.

For example, in V5R2, you can code a list of search arguments on 
keyed I/O operations, as in:

    CHAIN (arg1: arg2+17: proc(fu*bar)) INREC;

Clearly, that can't work in fixed-form calcs. Likewise,

    CHAIN %KDS(KeyDataStruct) INREC;

doesn't work in fixed-form calcs since BIF's aren't allowed in 
factors of fixed-form calcs.

Generally, some opcodes have been enhanced such that if coded in a 
free-form block, you can do more with them. In some situations, we 
can tweak the old fixed-form opcode. For example, SORTA now 
syntactically allows an Extended-Factor-2 operand, which allows 
fully qualified names to be coded. (Previously, it was a simple 
Factor-2 operand.) But in other situations, the extra functionality 
just can't be expected to fit within an old fixed-form 14 character 
wide factor, particularly for opcodes that have Factor-1 and 
Result-Field operands.

I have absolutely no idea why you think that could kill off the RPG 
IV base. All older programs will still compile. And if you don't 
want to use free-form calcs, you still have the choice not to use 
them. As others have pointed out, free-form calcs should be used 
only for *new* programs or modules, and I agree whole-heartedly with 
that.

Cheers! Hans