Re: Convert from free to fixed -- RPG400-L

I'm sure you do. And I know I write fixed format code when I have to,
primarily to maintain shop standards or make sure it's understandable by
others. But, I use free format for all new code, and usually convert
programs to free format when I can. It's still not a code integrity
issue...you're talking about a programmer capability issue.

On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 1:14 PM, Tom Huff <tehuff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

You don't think that multiple styles of coding mixed together makes life
difficult for the programmer ?
I do.

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Michael Ryan
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 11:45 AM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i
Subject: Re: Convert from free to fixed

Why does that maintain the integrity? It maintains the sameness, and there
may be some value to that (though I don't believe so). But I believe that
writing code using the best tools available makes sense. Of course, you
also
have to think about the others that maintain it. If they cant'/don't handle
free form, procedures, APIs, etc, then those techniques shouldn't be used.

On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 12:28 PM, Tom Huff <tehuff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

So,
If you have a program that has lots of subroutines already, and you have

to

modify this program, Do you use procedures or subroutines ? Keep in mind
the
base software package has about 20,000 programs with 2 million lines of
code
and all of them have subroutines and no procedures.
To keep the integrity of the system, I think you should use subroutines.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:

rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

On Behalf Of dieter.bender@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 11:19 AM
To: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i
Subject: Re: Convert from free to fixed

... interesting, you are a clairvoyant, seeing what other persons are
thinking...

IMHO RPG has sometimes diffrent features, doing similar things and good
style is not to use all, what's available, but the most powerful lfeature
of

each category. For instance error handling: you have:
- error indicators in fixed format
- e extenders in free format
- ile condition handlers
- *pssr
- monitor groups
-... maybe I'm overlooking something, I didn't see in > 20 years RPG
comparing this alternatives, monitor is the most powerfull of all and
contains all possibilities the other have and some valuable too

(arbitrary

blocks, grouping of conditions), so I clearly recommend to use this and
only

this!!!

Another example:
in RPG you have Subroutines and Procedures a procedure could do all, a
subroutine does and has valuable additional features as local variables

and

parameters and prototypes for the compiler to check if your call could

have

a chance to succeed - so I clearly recommend to use procedures and forget
subroutines (for all your newly written stuff). BTW: Prototypes are

another

example for doing things not consequently by the developers of RPG. There
are languages out there only needing PIs and no PRs.

D*B

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Scott Klement" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 5:30 PM
To: "RPG programming on the IBM i / System i" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Convert from free to fixed

Hi Vern,

Nothing wrong with it - some think tried and true techniques should
never be used, just because they aren't their hottest new thing.

Frankly, that's not a common problem in the RPG community.

A much more common problem is to use old, clumsy, outdated techniques
just because folks are used to them. RPG programmers almost always

hang

on to outdated techniques long after better ones arrive, just because
"we've always done it that way."

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