I vouch for the code generators. I use LANSA RDML, and find that 99 out
of 100 times, I will not even think about the RPG code which it
generates.
Don
-----Original Message-----
From: web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Crispin
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 3:53 PM
To: 'Web Enabling the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: Re: [WEB400] HTML and PDF Reports
Sorry David, but I have to disagree with you :-)
David Gibbs wrote:
Of course without a good understanding of the generated code, trying to
fix problems in the code is going to be a nightmare.
Sure, but you certainly SHOULD NOT be modifying the generated code. You
SHOULD BE going back to the tool and resolving the bug at the higher
level generators afford you.
In my experience (granted, somewhat limited to a single vendor's
product, but I have seen the output from other vendors tools), the code
that is generated is horrendous and next to impossible to debug.
I'd be interested in which vendor that was.
I have worked with multiple tools that generate code. The fact that they
generate code the same way every time means that they are MUCH easier to
debug. I know what the generator will generate, what the program flow
will be. I DON'T have to change my thought process to match another
coders coding style.
Personally, I think code generators of any kind are a pox on the
industry. Using a code generator might be OK for a prototype, but to
create usable, maintainable, adaptable, applications you need to
develop the code by hand ... or at least use a tool that emits the end
result code so you have full code comprehension.
And that's why we're arguing about which technology is better to get a
business application to the Web, rather than getting it there. I've used
generators for almost 20 years. I write WinC/Java/5250/HTML clients. I
write JDBC/ODBC/SQL Server/DB2 backends. I put the business logic where
it makes sense. I can change where each piece goes on a whim.
I don't care that I use a tool. I use the tool to get the job done. I
cared when I first looked at generated code 18 years ago, because I was
an RPG coder, and I wanted to keep my job as a programmer. I see too
many people get defensive when it comes to something else writing the
code for them. I think these people need to get over it.
Just My Opinion :-)
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