Re: Classic Traps -- I need your input!

["Joe D" <nike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Simon Coulter" <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: Classic Traps -- I need your input!
> > Quarter = %div(Month : 3.01) + 1;
>
> The compiler won't like that one. Make it normal division q=(m/3.01)
> +1 and it works. I don't like this because it's obscure.
I agree - too obscure.  Never realized you can only use integers in %div - 
thanks.

> > Quarter %dim(Month + 2 : 3);
>
> I don't like that one either. It makes it harder to deal with
> financial quarters.
At least in my actual code I typed this one correctly.  %dim never had a 
chance :)

> For me I wouldn't do this calculation in direct code. I'd write a
> generic procedure:
> getQuarterOfYear( date [, fiscalPeriodStart] )
True.  I left the formula in the C spec for this one because we do not 
really do much by quarter anyhow, and we use a straight calendar.  This one 
program is the only one I have seen here with any mention of quarters at 
all.  And even then it is largely ignored.

I am still amused how much time has gone into fixing something that was not 
broken to begin with.  At least the episode was educational.