On 29/04/2010, at 6:27 AM, Bryce Martin wrote:
So when I did the OVRDBF, (which I agree is kludgy),
I wonder how you and Scott arrived at this conclusion? The ability to
change the file being processed, change the attributes of that file,
and even change the records processed by a program via correct use of
OVRxxx or in conjunction with OPNQRYF is simply brilliant. It can, and
frequently did, make programming much easier than it might otherwise
be and most (perhaps all) other platforms have nothing like it. Unix
file redirection is a poor substitute.
Just because newer methods of accomplishing similar ends exist now
(e.g., EXTFILE to replace a simple redirection override, or SQL to
replace OPNQRYF) doesn't detract from the original great idea.
One could even argue that the newer alternatives are less flexible
because now the program itself needs to know what's happening--the
changes are not as transparent to it the way they are with OVRxxx.
EXTFILE results in much tighter coupling than OVRDBF.
I would not discount using the alternatives when appropriate but I
would never say that OVRxxx is a kludge.
Regards,
Simon Coulter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
FlyByNight Software OS/400, i5/OS Technical Specialists
http://www.flybynight.com.au/
Phone: +61 2 6657 8251 Mobile: +61 0411 091 400 /"\
Fax: +61 2 6657 8251 \ /
X
ASCII Ribbon campaign against HTML E-Mail / \
--------------------------------------------------------------------
midrange.com
