RPG IV code editors
Roderick W. Spencer
I was wondering are there any good code editors for RPG IV. been searching
the net and haven't had very much success. If any has any good leads..i
would be very appreciative....
RWS
gb...@student.monash.edu.au
download.
John Kohan
there for the first time. It really helps by using tab stops and colors. If
I can get it to work, anyone can.....
John
Roderick W. Spencer <yad...@cpuinc.net> wrote in message
news:377f...@marge.cpuinc.net...
Douglas Handy
>I was wondering are there any good code editors for RPG IV.
I take it from your wording that you are perhaps familiar with what a
"good code editor" can do for you. I've been using PC editors for my
AS/400 coding since 1990 since they are so much more powerful than
SEU.
Have you ever heard of a PC editor called CodeWright from Premia? It
is not RPG IV-aware (by itself) but is a prime example of what I would
qualify as a "good code editor".
There are three main RPG-aware editors you may want to compare:
1) CODE/400 from IBM
Originally designed for OS/2, but now supported on Win NT/9x as well.
It is bundled with the Visual Age for RPG development environment (buy
one, get the other free). <g>
The evaluation version is limited to 500 connections to the 400, and
may have a time limit as well. Last fall, the evaluation version
license was good thru June 30, 1999. I don't know what the current
evaluation version allows.
I have heard IBM allows free continued use of the evaluation version
for students who do not have access to a 400, although you would need
to confirm that with IBM.
The evaluation version can be downloaded or ordered from IBM on CD.
Start at this link: http://www.software.ibm.com/ad/varpg/
It includes an extensible editor, a SDA/RSU replacement, and a
debugger. It also has a program verifier which is basically the
initial stages of the 400's RPG compiler. It doesn't create objects
or a program template, but if it passes the verifier it is pretty much
guaranteed to compile on the 400. It uses a connection to the 400 to
resolve external definitions, which are then cached on your hard
drive. You can then continue to do verifies offline (e.g. on a plane)
until you need new or additional external definitions.
It can use a TCP/IP or SNA connection to the 400. The editor is based
on the LPEX (live-parsing) editor engine. Extensions to the editor
can be coded in REXX or now Java too.
2) CodeStudio from Bob Cozzi
A 16-bit version can be obtained free at www.rpgiv.com but can only be
used through December of this year. And you may have to hurry, I
believe the 16-bit version may be pulled from the site when the first
beta build of the 32-bit version is posted.
Last I heard, the 32-bit version should go into beta in July, although
the TCP/IP connection may not be available until a later build. Check
the above website for the current status.
It does not include a SDA/RLU replacement, or a debugger.
3) FlexTools from Aldon Software
This suite consists of three components: an editor, a SDA/RLU
replacement, and a debugger. You may license them separately.
The editor, called Flex/Edit for Windows, uses as its engine the
CodeWright editor from Premia, which you may have heard of or used if
you are familiar with high-end PC editors (see www.premia.com for
copies of reviews from a PC perspective). Aldon repackages CodeWright
with extensions to make it AS/400 aware from both a language and
connectivity standpoint.
The CodeWright engine is a phenomenally powerful editor. See Premia's
website for basic information on the editor engine itself. Extensions
to the editor can be coded in Premia's macro language, Perl, or
AppBasic, which is lilke Visual Basic for Applications. (There are
literally hundreds of pre-defined functions available to call to use
as building blocks in your extensions if you chose to write some.)
But, like CODE/400, most people just set the customizations options
without writing their own extensions, although they may install an
extension written by someone else.
Flex/Edit also currently has a 32-bit version in beta, but it did not
include TCP/IP connectivity until recently. Actually, I'm not even
sure if the evaluation copy on the web includes TCP/IP or is SNA only.
I have a beta copy with working TCP/IP connectivity, and if the web
doesn't yet it should Real Soon Now. Literally any day. Mine works.
Evaluation versions of the editor and Flex Designer (the SDA/RLU
replacement) can be downloaded from www.aldon.com.
As you can probably tell, I use Flex/Edit for my coding. I started
using it (and its predecessors) before there was even an OS/2 version
of CODE/400, let alone a Win NT/9x version.
The only other RPG aware editors I know of for the PC are those from
RPG compiler vendors (such as California Software's Baby/400 or
Lattice or Trident Software). I'm not sure if the latter two still
sell RPG compilers or not, but California Software does for either
OS/2 or Win NT.
There is also a shareware editor called Quick Code which may still be
at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/medialink/, but it is not
in the same league as the others.
Doug
Pat Landrum
IBM's CODE/400.
"Roderick W. Spencer" wrote:
> Greetings:
>
Erik Frimann Larsen
<3781FC80...@mindspring.com>:
See if you can get your hands on SPF/PC, a MVS (mainframe) look-alike.
It's a bit like SEU. Mail me if you have any problems....
Erik