RE: Why no header files for RPG?

[CWilt@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Cozzi [mailto:cozzi@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 1:09 PM
> To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
> Subject: RE: Why no header files for RPG?
> 
> 
> On V5R1, I've been doing this:
> 
> D MbrList      DS           LikeDS(QUSM0200)
> D MbrDesc      DS           LikeDS(QUSL010000)

I've been doing stuff like:

     d t_ApiErrCode    ds                  qualified based( t_Ptr )
     d  minimum                            likeds( t_ApiErrCdMin )
     d                                     overlay( t_ApiErrCode )
     d  fmt100                             likeds( t_ApiErrCd100 )
     d                                     overlay( t_ApiErrCode )
     d  fmt200                             likeds( t_ApiErrCd200 )
     d                                     overlay( t_ApiErrCode )

      // Having bytes provided = 0 causes most APIs to throw an exception
     d t_ApiErrCdMin   ds                  qualified based( t_Ptr )
     d  bytesProvided                      like( t_Int4 )

     d t_ApiErrCd100   ds                  qualified based( t_Ptr )
     d  bytesProvided                      like( t_Int4 )
     d  bytesAvail                         like( t_Int4 )
     d  exceptID                      7a
     d                                1a
     d  exceptData                         like( t_Buffer32k)

     d t_ApiErrCd200   ds                  qualified based( t_Ptr )
     d  key                                like( t_Int4 )
     d  bytesProvided                      like( t_Int4 )
     d  bytesAvail                         like( t_Int4 )
     d  exceptID                      7a
     d                                1a
     d  dataCCSID                          like( t_Int4 )
     d  dataOffset                         like( t_Int4 )
     d  dataLength                         like( t_Int4 )
     d  exceptData                         like( t_Buffer32k )


Thus, my API prototype reference t_ApiErrCode.  But the actual DS I'm going
to use will reference t_ApiErrCdMin, t_ApiErrCd100, or t_ApiErrCd200.

Hm, as I read that....I've decided that maybe I should have used names
better than ApiErrCd100 & ApiErrCd200 <grin>


> 
> Granted the IBM subfield names suck but that's another reason 
> for a really
> good source code editor. Too bad CODE and that WDSc hog 
> doesn't autocomplete
> things when I type MbrDesc.________ by adding a list of 
> subfield names that
> I can pick from.  Or does it?

Yes, WDSc does.  Just press 'Ctrl-space'.  Quite handy.  The only "catch" is
that the outline view must be up to date.  In other words, if you add a new
DS and then go to use it somewhere you must refresh the outline view before
the auto complete will help you out.


> In reality IBM should recreate a new set of the data 
> structures using only
> qualified DS names. That way, the member name in the DS could 
> be MBRNAME
> instead of QUSMN01 
> -Bob
> 
> 

YES!!!!!!

It amazes me that IBM pushes modernization, then ships such archaic includes
for the RPG people.


Charles