Re: Quick question on indicators - more philosophical than anything else

[Doug Palme <DPalme@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe, 
Do not even get me started on dates......it is the biggest pet peeve of 
mine why anyone is still using anything other than a date data type in a 
file.....





From:
Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:
RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date:
05/13/2008 04:06 PM
Subject:
Re: Quick question on indicators - more philosophical than anything else



Doug Palme wrote:
> Is anyone still using the old indicator style of INKC, INKA, etc.?
I've almost entirely moved to using numbered indicators (CA03 03), 
because then I can use an INDDS and then change them to named 
indicators.  Some folks prefer the INFDS approach, but I don't. 
However, this is one of those few instances where I can't argue tooth 
and nail for my position - I don't have a good reason why I prefer 
numbered indicators over INFDS.  I guess I like write (if ExitKey) 
rather than (if key = Exit).

> Is there any reason why this should even be used today? 
Nope.  I can't think of a good reason to use *INKx anymore.  In fact, 
the only indicator I can see ever showing up in a program is *INLR.

> I know some are advocating using no indicators at all in a 
program....but 
> is that not one of the strengths of RPG?

This is a philosophical point.  Indicators were great for the original 
RPG because space was at a premium and indicators allowed you to test 
three conditions using only 9 columns.  Way cool.  But these days, the 
very idea of a numbered indicator is just not justifiable.  Named 
indicators, sure - they're basically a set of Boolean flags you send 
primarily to your user interface to interact with the user.  But I can't 
see any reason for numbered indicators any more than I can justify 
2-digit years.

Joe