Utility to Print RPG Output Specs
Does anyone recall or use a utility that was used in "the old days" to print a listing of the O-specs in RPG II.
The utility would review an RPG source member. It would then print a listing of what the output heading and detail lines would look like. It used "X"s and "9"s to show lengths of fields and even show where overlays would happen when indicators were used to print one field instead of another.
I had one in a previous life that I could really use now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
November 28, 2005 12:23 PM
UPDATED:
November 20, 2009 8:39 AM
Answer Wiki:
Hawkeye's Pathfinder has this capability.
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I had forgotten that Pathfinder had a utility like that. However, we don’t have Pathfinder and don’t have it in the budget for the coming year.
I found one freeware utility but it had a dead link.
Any other utilities anyone can think of?
Thanks!
RDA has a prototyping option that will perform that function.
Report Designer is a great utility by Gumbo Software. Interface works like SDA. Alas, it is not free.
Hi,
try RLU utility. U can start RLU within PDM against your PRTF file. But if u are coding it as “O” specs within RPG, then u had to test / count the length of variable/constant/fields to be printed to arrive at ending column position.
when testing, u can also see the output but not necessary that it will indicate the “X” or “9″. Eg, a field with 8,2 but value is eg, 20.00, will still print as 20.00 (depending on edit code/edit word). But u can see from the report where is the ending column and calculate whether it will “accomodate” the variable/constant/field length. u also had to add up editing words if any, such as “$”, “*”
There is a utility in the RPG Power Tool Chest by Craig Rutledge that will convert O specs to a print file. It works well. It is no longer free though. May be worth your while to take a look.
RLU (Report Layout Utility) has a report prototyping option that will do that.
Don
RLU won’t help you until you convert your O-specs to an external print file. There was a utility CVTTOPRTF that converts them that I downloaded (MC Press possibly) about 5 years ago. I’m not sure if it’s the same one mentioned – it was free then. You may find it by searching for it.
It’s been maybe 20 years since O-specs should have been used. I don’t think I’ve even seen any in the past decade. I suspect that utilities for them will be harder to find as each new year goes by.
Use that thought to press management to get programs with O-specs modernized up to what should have been standard 20 years ago.
Tom