Coding
Structured Loops in CLLE (CLP For “Oldsters” :)
For many years we RPG coders were constantly reminded (pestered, really) about structured coding techniques. We were harassed about avoiding goto’s (an RPG II programmer’s best friend), replacing them with structured blocks (if, else, end, do, etc. – but don’t go too deep!) – and to emphasize subroutines (later functions and procedures). And while this […]
I am a Code Maker.
I’ve decided to re-brand what I do – and what I am – as “codemaker”. The term programmer conjures up images of a nerdy kid “hunching” over a keyboard attached to a desktop computer in his mama’s basement. Software developer sounds like more of the same, but with a product for sale at the end. Nobody knows […]
A Handy ‘Quick Query’ Command on the iSeries
Here’s a fun- and useful – little command you can create on the iSeries (or IBMi, AS400) in about 2 minutes. I usually create some version of this on every system I work on because I use it constantly. I’ll explain how below. First, the basics. The RUNQRY command can be used to run a […]
Word of the Day: User Story
A user story is a tool used in Agile software development (see definition below) to capture a description of a software feature from an end-user perspective. The user story describes the type of user, what they want and why. A user story helps to create a simplified description of a requirement. Agile software development is […]
Tips for Using Time Stamps in ILE RPG
Some notes regarding timestamps. Defining a Timestamp A timestamp is stored as a 26 character field. But, the system looks at it as a special data type and enforces the rules it has set up for timestamps. The format for a timestamp is is YYYY-MM-DD-HH.MM.SS.XXXXXX (Year-Month-Day-Hour.Minute.Second.Milliseconds). An example would be ‘2011-09-14-22.06.48.592000’ (Year: 2011 / Month: 09 […]
How to Colorize Your Source Code in SEU
Yes, I’m perfectly aware there are numerous advanced editors available that handle RPG and CL, and perform the syntax checking we are all familiar with using SEU. However, it’s not always possible to use RSE or the other editors in all situations. Some companies may not want 3rd party software and editors accessing their iSeries, […]
Cool preg_replace Solution
The circumstance: Read an item description from an item database. The issue: The block of text for the item description in the comma delimited file is not formatted, and in fact looks stripped of whatever formatting it had previously. Portions of text squished together like “changes.Special” (no area after the duration), and “Disc BrakeHeadset” (certainly […]
PHP/MYSQL String Tricks
Heres a couple things I constantly forget. Im including them here so Ill have them for future reference. How to “Scan and Replace” a String in MYSQL ( Note the AS400-ish phrasing of that title). Big Note: Be really mindful of serialized information !!!! ( I actually utilized the code above to “transfer” a lot […]
Free Format RPG ILE Alternatives to the TIME Opcode
// V5R2:. Wtime = %Dec(% Char(% Time(): * ISO0):6:0); < In my programs, I produce a data structure like this: D DS D Dtime 14 0 D Wdate 8 0 Overlay( Dtime). D Wtime 6 0 Overlay( Dtime: * Next). Ive been utilizing TIME to assign a worth to Dtime, then I utilize Wtime and […]
Good Programmer, Bad Programmer
New rule: “Write programs so someone else can read them instead of just you. “. Example: If * in86. … some code … Endif. Is really not much different than. If wact=Y. … some code … Endif. You may know what “wact” is, however no one else will without doing a search or utilizing a […]