Skills for the RPG Programmer

Re-skilling the RPG Programmer

Paul Tuohy
ComCon
5, Oakton Court Ballybrack Co. Dublin Ireland

Phone: +353 1 282 6230 e-Mail: tuohyp@comconadvisor.com Web: www.ComConAdvisor.com

2001 ComCon

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Skills for the RPG Programmer

Re-skilling the RPG Programmer

Paul Tuohy
ComCon
5, Oakton Court Ballybrack Co. Dublin Ireland

Phone: +353 1 282 6230 e-Mail: tuohyp@comconadvisor.com Web: www.ComConAdvisor.com

2001 ComCon

Agenda
Skills for what?
Why do you need to re-skill? What has changed?

What Are The First Steps?

Know your system. Know your database. Use The Right Tools for the Job. Get to Grips with RPG IV and ILE. Find Out about Event-Driven Programming. Learn the basics of HTML and Javascript.

Then What?
HTML, Javascript and CGI. Visualage RPG Java WebSphere whatever.

2001 ComCon

The times they are a changing.......

Java WebSphere ILE

WebFacing

RPG IV

HTML/CGI

2001 ComCon

Premise
You are not using third-party tools
There are many Great third-party tools out there. I will mention some later. Maybe you should be using one of them!!!!

All You Have is WebSphere Development Toolset (V5R1) or WebSphere Development Studio Client (V5R1/V5R2)!
Application Development Toolset (ADTS). WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries.

Code/400

(Editor, Designer, Project Manager). Distributed Debugger WebSphere Studio WebFacing Tool VisualAge for RPG.

VisualAge for Java ALL of the compilers for OS/400

RPG,

Cobol, C, Java, etc.

2001 ComCon

Where to Start?
There are a few things you need to look into before you enhance your programming skills.
Become familiar with the IFS (Integrated File System) Become familiar with iSeries Navigator (Operations Navigator)

Especially

the IFS and Database.

Grasp the basics of SQL

You

can do this from iSeries Navigator without Interactive SQL. SQL is slowly(?) replacing DDS.

Find out about triggers. Find out about referential integrity.

2001 ComCon

Use iSeries Navigator

iSeries Navigator is the GUI interface for OS/400
Navigator is getting the development dollars Green Screen is not! Navigator is part of the free portion of iSeries Access. Have a look at Basic Operations to get a feel for how it works. Become familiar with the IFS (Integrated File System) Become familiar with the Databases.

2001 ComCon

Explore the IFS

iSeries supports multiple file systems not just QSYS!
Root - PC style QOpenSys - Unix style QDLS - Shared Folders QSYS.LIB - Traditional OS/400 QOPT - Optical Storage QNTC - Windows NT Servers And more

2001 ComCon

Explore Databases
This is the new interface for Database functions

Have a look at how tables/views and indexes are created

2001 ComCon

Creating a Table
This is not DDS!

Navigator offers a friendly interface to SQLs Data Definition Language (DDL)

2001 ComCon

Database Navigator
Database Navigator will give you a diagram of your Database!

Just a little bit easier then DSPFD and DSPFFD!

2001 ComCon

SQL
Get to grips with SQL.
It is becoming the standard for maintaining the database. SQL is being developed - DDS is not.

2001 ComCon

Triggers and Referential Integrity

Triggers
Programs that are called when a row (record) is inserted, updated or deleted. An excellent means of applying business rules.

Referential Integrity

Define relationships between tables (physical files) e.g. You cannot delete a customer if they have outstanding invoices When you delete the Order Header record, automatically delete all corresponding Order Details.

2001 ComCon

The Choices
Green Screen
Although everything is heading towards GUI, there is still a place for green screen within applications. Not everything lends itself to point and click.

GUI Application

Good old Client Server!

Browser-based
The interface is in a browser. Fast becoming the most popular. Easiest to distribute to the Internet.

2001 ComCon

The Right Tools

Get with the right tools.

SEU/SDA/RLU are NOT up to the job.

Use of Code/400 can increase productivity by 20% to 40%!!!

2001 ComCon

Code/400
Code/400 is
A customizable editor Reference manual as help Navigator Verifier Much, much more

2001 ComCon

Code/400 Editor

2001 ComCon

Code/400 Verifier

2001 ComCon

Code/400 Help

2001 ComCon

Code/400 Navigator

2001 ComCon

RPG IV
Get up to speed with RPG IV If you are still using RPG III - STOP NOW

You will start to see gains from RPG IV within a very short period of time.

/FREE D_PgmTxt = *Blank; D_Proc = SDSProcName; D_PgmTxt = 'Work with'; If Show_Paid and Show_Unpaid; D_PgmTxt = %trim(D_PgmTxt) + ' Paid and Unpaid'; EndIf; If Show_Paid and Not Show_Unpaid; D_PgmTxt = %trim(D_PgmTxt) + ' Paid'; EndIf; /END-FREE

2001 ComCon

Getting there
Getting there is easy! CVTRPGSRC
IBM supplied conversion tool. Performs basic syntax conversion. Convert, Compile, Relax.

Third-party Option
If you want more than basic syntax conversion. If you want code re-engineered to use new features. Check out the RPGToolBox from Linoma Software ( www.linoma.com)

2001 ComCon

RPG IV Highlights
Here you have it -- the brand new RPG!
10-character external names (files, format and field names). Allow mixed case. Allow blank lines. Introduction of new Definition (D) Specification. Elimination of Extension (E) and Line Counter (L) Specifications and the practical elimination of Input (I) Specifications. Re-definition of the Header (H), File (F) and Calculation (C) Specifications. More powerful array definition and processing. Prefixing externally defined files. Date processing and manipulation. Named Indicators

Introduction of new data types, especially integers and pointers. Introduction of Built-in Functions (e.g. %SUBST). Introduction of Subprocedures and other ILE-related features. Integration with Java. And, of course, free format. But perhaps the most important change is that the re-structuring has made RPG even easier to change in the future

2001 ComCon

Subprocedures
Subprocedures are the biggest change to RPG - EVER!

They provide a means of encapsulation.

DayNumber = DayofWeek(InputDate); ErrInds = ValidCustomer(CustomerData);

If (GetCustomerDept(Customer)) = 'A01';
2001 ComCon

Subprocedures
This is what the code looks like.......

P DayOfWeek D D InpDate D ASaturday D WorkDay /FREE

B PI S S

1P 0 D D Inz(D'02/13/99') 1P 0

WorkDay = %Rem(%Diff(InpDate : ASaturday : *D): 7); If WorkDay < 1; WorkDay = WorkDay + 7; EndIf; Return WorkDay; /END-FREE P DayOfWeek E
2001 ComCon

ILE
Subprocedures lead to Service Programs.

You start to look at program design in a different way.

Procedure Procedure

Procedure
*Module

Procedure Procedure
*Module *Pgm

Procedure Procedure
*Module Procedure Procedure

Procedure
*Module *SrvPgm
2001 ComCon

Clients are Event Driven!

Client Applications are event driven.

Client Applications can be written in:

Java Visual Basic C/C++ Any PC programming language Even RPG!!!!

For VisualAge RPG you need to learn

GUI Design Event Driven But it is still RPG

2001 ComCon

HTML
Learn the basics of HTML
Easy to learn Lots of good books. I liked "HTML for the World Wide Web" by Elizabeth Castro ISBN 0-201-35493-4 Code/400 is a HTML editor.

<TR><td ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="404" HEIGHT="186"><font face="Arial">To contact us: <p>Phone: +353 1 282 6230<br> Fax: +353 1 282 6230<br> Email:<a href="mailto:tuohyp@comconadvisor.com"> tuohyp@comconadvisor.com</a> <p>5, Oakton Court<br> Ballybrack<br> Co. Dublin<br> Ireland <p>&copy; ComCon Computer Consultants 2002</font> </td></TR>

2001 ComCon

What is CGI ?
CGI stands for 'Common Gateway Interface'

It supports the ability to dynamically build Web pages

It

dictates format of the data stream for requests and responses

A standard for communicating between a browser and an HTTP Server

Server is configured to pass specific URLs to CGI scripts

Not simply to respond with a pre-built Web page In our case the "script" will be an RPG IV program

The program generates HTML and passes it to the server

Which then sends it out for display as it would any other page

CGI programming on the AS/400 is supported by

RPG IV (ILE RPG) Java

Plus ILE COBOL, ILE C, ILE C++, Rexx and Perl

2001 ComCon

Sample of a CGI Web Page

2001 ComCon

Sample of Code for Previous Page

This writes one "detail" line

The HTML code is constructed in the RPG Program.

WebOut = NewLine + '<tr align=right>' + '<td>' + ProdCd +'</td>' + '<td align=left>' + ProdDs +'</td>' + '<td>' + CatCod + '</td>' + '<td>' + %Char(LndCst) + '</td>' + '<td>' + %Char(SellPr) + '</td>' + '<td>' + PrLOrdA + '</td>' + '<td>' + NoDaysA +'</td></tr>' WriteWebData(WebData : WebDataLen : APIError)

2001 ComCon

"Native" CGI problems

The APIs are not as simple as one would like

And the documentation is less than wonderful

Generating HTML directly in the program reduces flexibility

To change the text, one must change the program

And

it is much more difficult to use HTML editors to design the pages

It would be nice to have something like DDS

That way only the variable content is handled by the program

But

writing such a generalized routine to process HTML text and perform text substitution is not a trivial task

IBM has an answer

And it is FREE !!

The CGIDEV2 Library

Available for download at www-922.ibm.com

2001 ComCon

Sample from CGIDEV

WIth CGIDEV, the HTML is kept separate from (or external to) the RPG Program.

: : /$TableRow <TR ALIGN=RIGHT> <TD /%ProdCd%/</TD> <TD ALIGN=LEFT>/%ProdDs%/</TD> <TD>/%CatCod%/</TD> <TD>/%LndCst%/</TD> <TD>/%SellPr%/</TD> <TD>/%PrlOrdA%/</TD> <TD>/%NoDaysA%/</TD> </TR> : :

2001 ComCon

Code from Previous Sample

Coding is MUCH easier with CGIDEV

// Load substitution variables UpdHTMLVar('ProdCd':ProdCd) UpdHTMLVar('ProdDs':ProdDs) UpdHTMLVar('CatCod':CatCod) UpdHTMLVar('LndCst':%Char(LndCst)) UpdHTMLVar('SellPr':%Char(SellPr)) UpdHTMLVar('PrlOrdA':PrlOrdA) UpdHTMLVar('NoDaysA':NoDaysA) // And add row to table WrtSection('TableRow')

2001 ComCon

So Far......
If you learn
RPG IV Some ILE Some HTML

You can be on the Web in No Time!

Getting to the Web is Easy!!!!!

2001 ComCon

Javascript
Extend those HTML capabilities Javascript is NOT full blown Java by any means.

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Quote of the Day</TITLE> </HEAD><BODY><DIV ALIGN=CENTER><H1>Quote of the Day</H1> <HR><FONT COLOR="navy" SIZE="5"> <SCRIPT> <!-var quotes = new Array() quotes[0] = "Every time history repeats itself the price goes... quotes[1] = "The moment you think you understand a great work ...
.. .. .. ..

quotes[9] = "So little done, so much to do.... document.write(quotes[Math.round(Math.random()*9)]) // --> </SCRIPT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

2001 ComCon

WebFacing
Time:8:05 date:Oct 22,2000

enter customer number:_____

RPG Program
DOWProto P DayOfWeek B D PI D/Copy 1P0 D WorkDate D D AnySunday D WorkNum D WorkDay S S S D INZ(D'1995-04-02') 7 0 1P 0

C WorkDate SubDur AnySunday WorkNum:*D C WorkNum Div 7 WorkNum C MvR WorkDay C If WorkDay < 1 C Return WorkDay + 7 C Else C Return WorkDay C EndIf P DayOfWeek E

Workstation manager

Converts DDS to Servlets and JSPs There is NO change to the RPG Programs

2001 ComCon

WebSphere Studio

2001 ComCon

WebSphere Application Server

Servlets Java Server Pages (JSPs) Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs)

Web Browser

HTML

Application Server
Any Client, Any Browser
HTTP server JDBC RPG Cobol Etc.

Servlet Engine

Data base

EJB Client

TCP /IP

EJB Container

Admin Console

Administrative Server

2001 ComCon

And then there is Java

Get to grips with OO.... it is very different.

A good grounding in RPG IV and ILE makes it easier to understand.

Set Name & Address

Set Balance Get Balance

Get Phone Get Address Set Balance Get Balance Get Name

Set Balance
Get Address

A Customer
2001 ComCon

Java
Java is an OO language

2001 ComCon

Java Code in Code/400

2001 ComCon

A Plan of Action
Must Do....... Should Do....... And then Any of.......

IFS

Code/400 RPG IV and ILE HTML and CGI

WebFacing

iSeries Navigator

VisualAge for RPG

SQL Triggers and RI

OO and Java WebSphere Studio, Javascript and JSPs

2001 ComCon

The Learning Curve

Times are opinion based on the experience of many. "Practice" is to a level of proficiency as opposed to expertise.

T he Learning Curve

Code/400 RPG IV ILE Basic CGI CGIDEV T opics Basic W AS Basic W ebfacing W ebsphere Studio OO Java 0 10 20 30 40 50 W ork Days 60 70 80 90 100 Course Self T each Practice

2001 ComCon

How Long Will It Take?

Pick the Route Carefully!!!!!!
Course Self Teach Practice

Code/400 RPG IV ILE Basic CGI CGIDEV Basic WAS Webfacing Studio OO Java

2
4 2 1 2 3 2 2 3 8

5
10 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 20

7
10 80 25 15 20 15 10 100 30

2001 ComCon

The Choice is Yours!!

Lay the foundations

IFS, SQL, iSeries Navigator, Triggers, Referential Integrity.

Take the first step

Code/400 RPG IV and ILE HTML CGI

Jump
VisualAge for RPG WebFacing OO and Java

2001 ComCon

Some References
"Who Knew You Could Do That With RPG IV?"

IBM Red Book SG24-5402 at www.redbooks.ibm.com

"Re-Engineering RPG Legacy Applications"

By Paul Tuohy ISBN 1-58347-006-9 at mc-store.com

"HTML for the World Wide Web"

By Elizabeth Castro ISBN 0-201-35493-4

"e-RPG - Building AS/400 Web Applications with RPG"

By Brad Stone ISBN 158347-008-5 at mc-store.com

"Java for RPG Programmers"

By George Farr and Phil Coulthard ISBN 1-889671-23-1 at mc-store.com

The CGIDEV2 web site

www-992.ibm.com

The RPG Toolbox

www.linoma.com
2001 ComCon

Questions?
Submit your questions now by clicking on the Ask A Question button in the left corner of your presentation screen. Paul will answer your questions shortly after the broadcast.