the rpg dude - episode 1 - design

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The RPG Dude

Take a seat while the meeting gets started…


The RPG Dude

His Design perspective


RPG preamble• To display data, RPG uses display formats• Display formats are described within the DDS (Data Description Specifications) • The formats within DDS contain :

• Field buffer definition • UI description (position, DDS keyword…)


RPG preamble• For RPG, a format is only a Field buffer definition that can be read or written, RPG doesn’t care about any UI description.

• The workstation (via 5250) monitors all UI descriptions,• with OA, we can either monitor them or ignore them.

We could use DDS formats only for Field buffer definitions and use RPGOA to send and receive these

buffers.


RPG preamble

In RPG you can write many formats.

Write format5Write format4Write format3Write format2Write format1

But in 5250 you only see what is filtered by the workstation 5250.


RPG preamble

With OA they could all be available.

Write format5Write format4Write format3Write format2Write format1

Remember the iceberg ? 5250 is the tip, OA is the

whole


RPG preamble

And the UI could decide to show data fields formats through any UI components, and all in the same form.


RPG preamble

With OA many formats can be exchanged between the RPG and the UI in a single transaction.

Many RPG/DDS formats1 RPG

Many UI components 1 form

1 I/O


Now, let’s talk aboutThe RPG Dude

-and particularly aboutHis Design perspective


The RPG Dude

He is under pressure…

So many apps to maintain and to develop…


The RPG Dude

Here is his boss…


The RPG Dude

Here is the customer…


The RPG Dude

Our dude has to design new screens…

What are his tools ?


The RPG Dude

SDA ?

Screen Design Aid ?

Aid ??


The RPG Dude

RDi ?

SDA in eclipse ?

Aid ??


The RPG Dude

Aid ?? No drag &

drop ?No UI Controls ?No Widgets ?No GUI properties ?

No “What You See Is What You Get” ?

nope…What You Get Is What You See


The RPG Dude

This is not going to make our customer happy…


The RPG Dude

Our dude tries hard any possible way to design new screens…

SDA, RDi, third party tools…


The RPG Dude

Results are not what he was expecting…

The pressure increases…


The RPG Dude

Must our dude end up like a bunny ?


The RPG Dude

A condemned bunny ?…


The RPG Dude

For ever ?


The RPG Dude

That cannot be it…

A possibility HAS TO EXIST !


The RPG Dude

A new solution ?A new paradigm ?

In the industry they call it looksoftware


The RPG Dudelooksoftware IDE

Rich Designer, drag & drop, GUI controls, widgets….a full IDE!You can build new Forms with rich components for mobile, browser or desktop.



Save Form and generate XML-DDS


& RPG




<xml> <format name=‘fmt01’> <field name=‘fld01’ length=‘10’ type=‘A’/> <field name=‘fld02’ length=‘12’ type=‘A’/> <field name=‘fld03’ length=‘5’ type=‘S’/> </format> <format name=‘fmt02’> <field name=‘fld04’ length=‘12’ type=‘A’/> <field name=‘fld05’ length=‘5’ type=‘S’/> </format> …

Data field descriptions are represented in XML, simply grouped by <format>. This XML is the Open Access Metadata Open Standard (OAMOS) www.IBMiOA.com




DDS A R fmt01 A fld01 10 H A fld02 12 H A fld03 5 0 H

A R fmt02 A fld04 12 H A fld05 5 0 H …

With the XML, a DDS is automatically generated, no DDS keywords are needed, no positioning, no limits. (For grids we use 4 DDS keywords mandatory for SFL but that’s it!)




RPG fld01 = ’abc’; fld02 = ’xyz’; fld03 = ’123’; write fmt01;

fld04 = ’qwe’; fld05 = ’rty’; write fmt02; … read fmt01; (1st read triggers I/O to GUI) read fmt02; …

RPG is also generated, it can be used as a Unit-test for your form I/O or as a base for your business logic.RPG can then simply control any data fields or GUI attributes



Design time:

Runtime:

Designer XML DDS RPGOA

RPGOA XML UI

RPG compilation with OAOA handler - openlook

OA handler - openlookAnd everything will work with other RPG or 5250 or system displays.



Then our Dude can create a new Rich Form with the Design tool, save it, and control it directly in RPG. 1 Designer, 1 RPG, 1 Dude.


& RPG


The RPG Dude

looksoftware IDE

IDE ?Insert Dude Empowerment


The RPG Dude

And all of a sudden, our dude’s life changes.


The RPG Dude

The customer becomes happy!


The RPG Dude

His boss starts to have new ideas for the business!


The RPG Dude

Our dude starts to have a lot of fans!


The RPG Dude

His brother comes to see him, which hadn’t happened in a very long time!


The RPG Dude

Young dudes start to follow his path!


The RPG Dude

People want to meet him!


The RPG Dude

He can finally express many of his real potentials!


The RPG Dude

He can finally express many of his real potentials!

ooops!This is private info


The RPG Dude

In some countries they start to worship him!


The RPG Dude

And now, our RPG dude has a happy life.


The RPG Dude

“Thank you looksoftware!”

He just sent us a postcard.


The RPG Dude

The part I prefer is when his brother came to see him…

the rpg dude - episode 1 - design

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