Re: Using RDi Report Designer on a print file larger than 132 characters

[Vernon Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Edmund

Thanks you for connecting the dots. I recognize that PRTFs are different 
from DSPFs, as you say. Of course, these days, DSPFs often have a window 
and a subfile and a function key format.

The one thing I saw is that with RLU we are able to set the pagewidth in 
the STRRLU command - there is nothing like that in the Report Designer.

So in the spirit of RLU, as you describe, I would benefit from a place 
right up front where this width can be specified, since it applies to 
the entire PRTF.

Now as Mike suggests, it could be modified inside - but was that 
possible with RLU? I couldn't find the manuals, so I don't know.

On 6/16/2020 10:35 AM, Edmund Reinhardt wrote:
>     Hello All
>
>     let me help explain the design philosophy of Report Designer which is very
>     much modelled after RLU.  This takes me back to my earliest days at IBM
>     when I shared an office with Albert Kwok who worked on RLU and was
>     bringing that technology forward to CODE Designer.
>     PRTF DDS is unlike DSPF DDS in that (1) records rarely stand alone, and
>     the relative positioning of one record to another is critical for
>     design (2) critical attributes of the output (like report width) are not
>     stored in the DDS source itself but are specified on the CRTPRTF command.
>      
>     To address this RLU came up providing all of the context that was needed
>     to visualize a report (the order record were written in, with which
>     indicators and data, and the CRTPRTF parameters into special comments.
>     This allowed the tool to faithfully render the report and to persist this
>     metadata with the DDS source.
>     RLU did take a learning curve, but once some of these basic concepts were
>     learned it was very powerful.
>     We have taken these concepts and brought them forward with first the OS/2
>     and Windows and now Java-base tools.  So now you have the full power of
>     mouse and properties files and drag/drop.
>     But it still is important to understand the concept of "report" because
>     this is external to the DDS.
>     We allow you to design records in isolation as a learning step but you
>     will not get the full power of the tool until you start using reports.
>      
>     Since this is fundamental to the 30 year design philosophy and it is
>     coherent and useful, I double it will be changed.  We have done our best
>     to try to make it discoverable but maybe there is a way to improve that.
>     Please pass the word along.  Maybe we should even allow simple record only
>     editing and force people into reports to start with.
>     ______________________________________________________________________________________
>
> Edmund Reinhardt                                  [1][IMG]
> 905-413-3125
> IBM Canada Ltd                                    Rational Developer for i  Access Client Solutions
>                                                    Architect
> [2]https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmundreinhardt/   [3]http://ibm.biz/rdi_hub [4]http://ibm.biz/IBMi_ACS
>
>      
>      
>      
>      
>      
>
>       ----- Original message -----
>       From: "Mike Hockings" <hockings@xxxxxxxxxx>
>       Sent by: "WDSCI-L" <wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio Client
>       for System i & iSeries <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       Cc:
>       Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [WDSCI-L] Using RDi Report Designer on a print
>       file larger than 132 characters
>       Date: Tue, Jun 16, 2020 9:49 AM
>        
>       Alan, good to hear that things are sorted out for you now!
>
>       Vern, I don't recall that CODE Designer used the RLU settings as at the
>       time it was all the positional %% "special comments" used to store
>       settings
>       in the source.  There was the odd request to support the RLU settings, I
>       think it was for the compile command maybe, but really never sufficient
>       demand to justify the development effort to make it happen IIRC.  That
>       was
>       more than a couple of days back so my mind is a bit hazy on the details
>       now.
>
>       In the current Page Designer, much like CODE Designer the default record
>       format for PRTF source is 132 chars and the specific page size would be
>       set
>       in the Page (PRTF) or Screen (DSPF) definition.  Yes, it may be rare
>       that a
>       single PRTF source is compiled for different sizes but I am sure there
>       are
>       people doing it.  Over the years I have come to understand that no
>       matter
>       how obscure a capability may be there is someone somewhere using it and
>       will make noise if it goes away.
>
>       Mike Hockings, M.Eng., P.Eng.
>       DevOps for Enterprise
>       IBM Developer for z Systems and Power Systems Software Technical Support
>       IBM Canada Ltd. Laboratory
>       hockings@xxxxxxxxxx
>       voice 1-905-413-3199 T/L 313-3199  ITN 23133199
>
>       From: Vernon Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio
>                   Client for System i & iSeries <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       Date: 2020/06/16 09:29
>       Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [WDSCI-L] Using RDi Report Designer on a print
>                   file larger than 132 characters
>       Sent by: "WDSCI-L" <wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>       Hi Mike
>
>       I was going by memory and thought I could specify a page width with RLU
>       - and it turns out it is a parameter on the STRRLU command - defaults to
>       132 if not specified, according to the documentation. And it uses
>       whatever the setting was the last time the PRTF was edited with RLU - as
>       you know, RLU kept settings just as Report Designer does - different
>       format, I kind of wish they were the same or at least the RLU codes were
>       recognized by RDi.
>
>       I believe there is a default - probably 132, same as RLU?
>
>       I'm looking for something as simple with the Report Designer, some
>       property obviously available on the display that RDi opens up with,
>       nothing "buried", no matter how close to the surface, shall we say.
>
>       I suppose the same source could result in PRTFs of different widths, but
>       I find that to be rare - it would confuse me a lot!
>
>       Speaking of RLU, the settings are saved in the source by RLU, but when I
>       open one of those - and we have many from long before WDSC or RDi came
>       around - I don't remember what the CODE/400 Designer did - when I open
>       an RLU-edited source member, those settings are ignored. I think I hear
>       an RFE title coming, eh?
>
>       Cheers
>       Vern
>
>       On 6/16/2020 8:02 AM, Mike Hockings wrote:
>       > In the source the records really have no defined size do they, the
>       page
>       > size is set at compile (CRTPRTF, CHGPRTF) time.  The source can
>       conceivably
>       > be compiled into multiple PRTFs that have different page sizes.
>        Creating
>       a
>       > report in the Page Designer lets you reflect the different sizes and
>       then
>       > you can have the same, or different, records in different reports with
>       > different defined page sizes to see how it looks.  Is what you looking
>       for
>       > is some sort of default report size?
>       >
>       > Mike Hockings, M.Eng., P.Eng.
>       > DevOps for Enterprise
>       > IBM Developer for z Systems and Power Systems Software Technical
>       Support
>       > IBM Canada Ltd. Laboratory
>       > hockings@xxxxxxxxxx
>       > voice 1-905-413-3199 T/L 313-3199  ITN 23133199
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       > From: Roger Harman <roger.harman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>       > To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio
>       >              Client for System i & iSeries
>       <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       > Date: 2020/06/15 19:49
>       > Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [WDSCI-L] Using RDi Report Designer on a
>       print
>       >              file larger than 132 characters
>       > Sent by: "WDSCI-L" <wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       > I agree it's sort of hidden.  But, you could infer that the "report"
>       *is*
>       > the file level.  Otherwise, all you have is individual formats.
>       >
>       > Not sure i want the RDi teams effort spent on this.
>       >
>       > Looks like you can edit this line in the source view, close & reopen
>       and
>       > RDi will honor the new value.
>       >
>       >       A*%%RS+  <device type="printer" width="198" height="66" />
>       >
>       > Roger Harman
>       > COMMON Certified Application Developer - ILE RPG on IBM i on Power
>       >
>       > --
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       >
>       > From: WDSCI-L <wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Vernon
>       > Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       > Sent: Monday, June 15, 2020 4:06 PM
>       > To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio Client
>       for
>       > System i & iSeries <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       > Subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] Using RDi Report Designer on a print file
>       larger
>       > than 132 characters
>       >
>       > Hi Edmund
>       >
>       > I've struggled with this, too - it's not obvious that I should go to
>       > "Design Reports" to set something - and, IIRC, I have to start
>       designing
>       > one in order to be able to set the width.
>       >
>       > It seems this value should be at the file level - I think this was
>       > easier in RLU - one of the few things that I would say this about.
>       > Because I otherwise like the Report Designer a lot.
>       >
>       > Do I hear an RFE in my future?   :)
>       >
>       > Vern
>       >
>       > On 6/15/2020 4:57 PM, Edmund Reinhardt wrote:
>       >>       Hi Alan
>       >>       To get non-default widths, switch to 'Design Reports' and
>       specify
>       the
>       >>       width you would like
>       >>       [1]
>       >
>       [5]https://imgur.com/EaP2zv6
>
>       >
>       >
>       ______________________________________________________________________________________
>
>       >
>       >> Edmund Reinhardt                                  [2][IMG]
>       >> 905-413-3125
>       >> IBM Canada Ltd                                    Rational Developer
>       for
>       > i  Access Client Solutions
>       >>                                                      Architect
>       >> [3]
>       >
>       [6]https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmundreinhardt/
>
>       >      [4]
>       >
>       [7]http://ibm.biz/rdi_hub
>
>       >    [5]
>       >
>       [8]http://ibm.biz/IBMi_ACS
>
>       >
>       >>
>       >>
>       >>
>       >>
>       >>
>       >>
>       >>         ----- Original message -----
>       >>         From: Alan Shore via WDSCI-L <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       >>         Sent by: "WDSCI-L" <wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       >>         To: "wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>       >>         Cc: Alan Shore <ashore@xxxxxxxx>
>       >>         Subject: [EXTERNAL] [WDSCI-L] Using RDi Report Designer on a
>       print
>       > file
>       >>         larger than 132 characters
>       >>         Date: Mon, Jun 15, 2020 5:39 PM
>       >>
>       >>         Hi everyone
>       >>         I am SLOWLY getting myself accustomed to using RDi
>       >>         Give me 25 or 26 more years - I'll get there
>       >>         Anyway - I have to make a change to an existing external
>       print
>       > file, but
>       >>         when I open that file to edit it with Report Designer, it
>       only
>       > shows the
>       >>         first 132 characters of a print file, 200 characters wide
>       >>         I tried to google what (if anything) needs to be done to see
>       ALL
>       of
>       > the
>       >>         print file, but to no avail
>       >>         Im hoping someone can point me in the right direction
>       >>
>       >>         As always, all responses gratefully accepted
>       >>
>       >>         Alan Shore
>       >>         E-mail : ASHORE@xxxxxxxx<[6][9]mailto:ASHORE@xxxxxxxx>
>       >>         Phone [O] : (631) 200-5019
>       >>         Phone [C] : (631) 880-8640
>       >>         'If you're going through hell, keep going.'
>       >>         Winston Churchill
>       >>
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