Re: Allow null in data structure

"RPG400-L" <rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote on 02/14/2019
07:54:41 AM:

Yeah, I've struggled with nulls a bit, Jeff. I'm still not exactly a
fan, but I've gotten used to them. A couple of things:

1. The syntax is strange. Don't separate the field variable and the
null indicator variable with a comma:

into :dmitmmstDS :dmitmmstNull, :wmsupcDS :wmsupcNull;


2. You can use an arbitrary-sized array, as long as it's at least big
enough. I don't have any files with more than 1000 fields, so I can
just create an array of 1000 indicators and it will work for
everything. Not a perfect solution by any means, but it does help.

In this shop I have specialized in the use of extended SQL
indicator arrays. They always call on me in this shop when ever
questions about indicator arrays come up. I use them in both SELECT-type
and INSERT and UPDATE statements. I also use a data structure with named
indicator subfields to redefine an indicator array in order to achieve the
use of named indicators for self-documenting embedded SQL code.

Via extended SQL indicator arrays I can use a single INSERT or
UPDATE statement and be able to selectively activate or deactivate
particular columns in order to customize the results without having to use
multiple INSERT or UDPATE statements each customized to achieve the same
results. It is too bad that you can't do the same thing with SELECT-type
statements. ;-)


Sincerely,

Dave Clark