RPG400 vs. RPGIV

[Phil]

I'm moving up from several years RPG/400 to RPGIV.

Can anybody help me out by listing/explaining the key differences between
the two versions.

I guess this could be broken into two areas: 1. compiling/object
calling/binding 2. actual code.

In the meantime, I have my softcopy library to delve into, but we all know
how IBM manuals are.
(IBM - Incomprehensible Big Manuals!!)

TIA

Phil
Ph...@NOSPAMflyinghat.co.uk

[Souza]

RPG400 is not a language. It is actually RPG III on the RPG400
compiler. There is quite a difference between RPG III and RPG IV.
IV uses more free-format expressions, with enhanced op codes and
"D" specs, and Date/Time arithmetic operations. AS400 RPG IV compiler
targets the native integrated programming language environment (ILE).

[dr...@nospam.emanet.com.nospam]

You can jump into rpgiv at whatever level you're comfortable -- you don't have
to do call/bind/activation groups right away, or even at all, ever, if you
don't want or need to.

If you use CrtBndRPG you can basically treat iv the way you work with rpg400.
Note - adding a few h-specs will make your life much easier:
h dftactgrp(*no) actgrp(*caller)
this makes your program respect the ovrdbfs set in a calling CL (the number
one reason for new rpgiv'ers to lose hair)
h option(*nodebugio)
this makes using StrDbg much nicer - you don't have to step through all the
fields during file i/o

You need to be on 4r4 for these to work (I don't remember if they were okay
under 4r3 or not)

Finally, take your favorite rpg400 program that is complex & well understood &
run it through the source conversion utility.
Better yet: go to ProData's website & d/l the free trial of their convertor &
use it instead. It really does an excellent job; the EVAL statements and
handling of indicators is very well done.
Drew
ps - also helpful: go to the tech conference & attend all the rpgiv classes,
especially the labs. Only take the basic intro activation group stuff

[Chipper Miller]

> Finally, take your favorite rpg400 program that is complex & well
understood &
> run it through the source conversion utility.
> Better yet: go to ProData's website & d/l the free trial of their
convertor &
> use it instead. It really does an excellent job; the EVAL statements and
> handling of indicators is very well done.

In addition to the ProData website, www.linomasoftware.com has a conversion
utility that allows you a trail version. (I think it only performas 10
conversions and then expires.) There are also some free utilities from
Midrange Computing and News/400 sites.
Midrange Computing - two different utilities - one appeared in the Jan 1999
edition and one in Mar 1999.
News/400 - Under the freeware/shareware section are the Craig Rutledge
utilities. He has written an number of utitlies that I have found to be
helpful.

Hope this helps -
George Miller

All comments provided "as is" with no warranties (either express or implied)
whatsoever.

[Bruno Bazzani]

At the IBM redbook site www.redbooks.ibm.com (free registration) you can
download two redbook that are worth reading:

1) Who Knew You Could Do That with RPG IV? A Sorcerer零 Guide to System
Access and More
2) Moving to Integrated Language Environment for RPG IV

Bruno Bazzani

[Cyril W. Tobiasson]

IBM supplies a conversion utility to change RPG III to RPG IV. By compare
of the result to the original you'll see how to do the same things in RPG IV
that you do in RPG III (or RPG400 if you like). This is an very good way to
get started.
Cyril

"Phil" <ph...@NOSPAMOflyinghat.co.uk> wrote in message
news:967798847.5382.0...@news.demon.co.uk...

[Phil]

Thanks for all the answers everybody. I guess the moral of the story is
"always check the redbooks first".

Have downloaded the two mentioned and finding them extremely useful.

Thanks again.

Phil.

..and for the record... "does anybody really call it RPGIII?".
In the ten years or so the AS/400 has been out... Me no think so!!
Mind you, I don't mix with Sys/38 programmers, so I guess
they're into a world unto themselves... bless 'em. :-D