how flexible are your calcu...6

8/9/2019 How Flexible Are Your Calcu...6

1/6


2/6


3/6

Business Strategy

Competitive Advantage

Consolidation

Executive Perspective

Green IT

Migration

Open Source

ROI

Infrastructure

Blades

StorageSystems Management

Case Studies

Distribution

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Services

Web 2.0

Cloud

Social Media

Trends

Collaboration

IBM AnnouncementsIBM Research

Open Source

Social Media

What's New

Product News

AIX

MAINFRAME

POWER

Newsletters

About Us

Subscribe

Current Issue

Archive

IBM i

ALL EDITIONS

ADMINISTRATOR

DEVELOPER

TRENDS

TIPS & TECHNIQUES

CASE STUDIES

Flexible are Your Calculations? | IBM i | IBM Systems Magazine http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/ibmi/enewsletterexclusive/1706

9/27/2010


4/6

STORAGE

PRODUCT NEWS

ENDPGM

BUYER'S GUIDE

Developer> RPG

How Flexible are Your Calculations?RPG programming techniques to help you solve unsolvable problems.

September 2007 | by Jon Parisand Susan Gantner

Print Email

Constraining the Problem Space

We mentioned constraining the problem space. Simply put, with problems of this nature, its easy to say, RPG can't do that. And in absolute terms,

this is as true of RPG as it is of most compiled languages. However, were dealing here with a specific problem space. Namely, that the range of

calculations required is finite as are the names and number of variables that might be involved in the calculations. In fact, the variables are already

defined in the program since the files that contain them are already being used by the program. So providing we don't mind doing a bit of grunt workto set up the basic definitions, while we may not be able to provide a total solution, we can go a long way.

When you face problems like this, rather than taking a head-on approach, try instead to determine exactly what inhibits you from doing what you

want. Understanding that, ask yourself what constraints would have to be in place for you to overcome this problem. If, as in this case, those

constraints are both acceptable and practical, then you have a solution.

In our next EXTRA article, we'll discuss some ideas for taking these techniques to the next level and making the overall process even more flexible. In

the meantime, if you use these techniques or have any questions, please let us know.

Note:We didnt have space to introduce you to using basing pointers and procedure pointers, and it isnt necessary for you to understand them to use

these techniques. However, if youre unfamiliar with the topics and want to know more, check out Some Pointers on Using Pointers in RPG IV and

the section on "Using procedure pointer calls" in the RPG Redbooks publication Who Knew You Could Do That with RPG IV?.

Page 123456

Jon Paris is a technical editor with IBM Systems Magazine and co-owner of Partner400.

More Articles From Jon Paris

Susan Gantner is a technical editor with IBM Systems Magazine and co-owner of Partner400.

More Articles From Susan Gantner

Advertisement


9/27/2010


5/6

WEBINAR

Thursday, September 30 2pm (ET) from LANSA

IBM i Enterprise Web Development ---- Fact or Fiction?

Browse products and services for Developer.

Advertisement

Maximize your IT investment with monthly information from THE source...IBM Systems MagazineEXTRA & Marketplace eNewsletters.

SUBSCRIBE NOW.


9/27/2010


6/6

View past IBM i EXTRAs here

Related Articles

Even More Flexible Calculations

E-Newsletter Exclusive | In the September EXTRA e-Newsletter, Jon Paris and Susan Gantner shared some solutions to &qout;unsolvable&qout;

RPG problems with a technique for flexible calculations. Now they delve deeper with a more complex example, making a sequence of calculations

not only possible but simple to create and use.

RPG - Anchoring Your Team

Cover Story | Alternate approaches to extending your RPG applications.

The State of Modernization

Cover Story | Bruce Vining talks modernization with Jon Paris and Susan Gantner

RPG for the Web

iSeries EXTRA: By Now, the Case for RPG IV Should Be a No-Brainer

E-Newsletter Exclusive

IBM i

AIX

MAINFRAME

POWER

Homepage

About UsContact Us

Subscriptions

Editorial Calendar

Advertise With Us

Reprints

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Sitemap

IBM Systems Magazine is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. The editorial content of IBM Systems Magazine is placed on

this website by MSP TechMedia under license from International Business Machines Corporation.

2010 MSP Communications, Inc. All rights reserved


how flexible are your calcu...6

Documents