iSeries (AS/400) RPG4 Advanced Programming & ILE
Detailed Course Content (ISR4A)

Course Content :

RPGIV review and Update

• Be aware of all RPGIV operation codes
• Understand the commodity used built in functions
• Be clear on the course objectives & pre-requisites
• Be able to code Free form Control Statements CTL-
• Be aware of all Free form definition statements DCL-
  Files, Variables, Procedures
  

Date & Time variables plus null capable fields

• Define, initialise and use variable types:
  Date, time, timestamo
• Convert non-date variables to date variables
  %DATE, %TIME, %TIMESTAMP
• Manipulate data in true date variables
  %DAYS, %MONTHS, %YEARS, %DIFF, %SUBDT
  %HOURS, %MINUTES, %SECONDS, %MSECONDS
• Validate the content of a date variable (TEST)
• Convert true date variables to non-date variables
  %CHAR, %DEC
• Define & Use null capable fields:
  ALWNULL, %NULLIND
  

Arrays

• Declare and use an Array
• Differentiate between compile & run time arrays
• Provide compile time data
• Use the repeat operation code FOR
• Understand the legacy code DO
• Understand how to use teh array BIF's
  %XFOOT, %LOOKUPxx, %SUBARR
• Be aware of legacy op codes: XFOOT, LOKUP
• Sort array content: SORTA

Data Structures

• Define and use a data structure
• Recognise different types and uses of data structures
• Hard code the sub structure of a data structure
• Understand how file information data structures can be used in report programming
• Redefine the sub-structure - OVERLAY
• Duplictae structures with QUALIFIED
• Initialise data structure and sub-structure
• Code and use a program status data structure
• Code and use a file information data structure
• Code free format data structure statements
  

External and Multiple Definitions

• Retrieve a sub-structure from an external file EXTNAME
• Use other structures: LIKEREC, LIKEDS, QUALIFIED
• Rename sub-structure fields EXTFLD, PREFIX
• Use long field names from external definition ALIAS
• Code and use a multiple occurrence data structure
• Overlay arrays within a data structure
• Use array BIF's %ELEM, %SIZE, %OCCUR
• Understand and replace MOVEA legacy op code
• Sort linked arrays
• Read multi-dimensional arrays & Complex Data structures
• Sort and Search techniques of Data Structure Arrays
  

Data Areas

• Define and use a data area
• Describe and use the LDA
• Understand and use the operation codes:
  IN, OUT, UNLOCK
• Link Data areas to Data Structures
• Use and declare a user controlled data area
• Free format Data Area Definition Statements
• Soft Code Data Areas
  

Pointers and Dynamic Storage

• Define and use a pointer variable
• Define storage space at run-time (based)
• Use Dynamic Storage
• Understand and use Dynamic storage commands:
• %ADDR, %ALLOC, %REALLOC, & DEALLOC
• Declare Variable length & Null terminated strings
  

Commitment Control

• Understand commitment control requirements
• Understand how Commitment Control works
• Understand when to use commitment control
• Maintain files under commitment-control
• Include commitment control into RPG program
• Use a MONITOR error trap
  
  

Sub-procedures and Optional Parameters

• Code a Sub-procedure
• Understand local & global variables
• Understand the need for and code a prototype
• Use the operation code CALLP
• Alternative parameter passing methods:
  By reference, Read-only Reference, Value
• Define and use optional parameters:
  "OMIT, "NOPASS, %PARMS
• Default Activiation Group considerations
• Faster Return Values %PARNUM, RTNPARM
• Code a reusable sub-procedure
  

ILE Concepts and Introduction

• ILE v OPM
• Relationship between program and module objects
• Dynamic call v Static call
• ILE program and module object information - DSPPGM, DSPMOD
• Convert CLP to CLLE & modules, CL procedure CALL - CALLPRC
• Binding CL and RPG together into a single program
• Update ILE program objects
• Include copyright into module objects
• Application isolation with Activation groups
• Controlling which activation group is used
• Reclaim resources for an activation group
• Bindable API's

RPG Modules

• Bind RPG modules into programs
• Make source code available for interactive debug
• Define active PEP
• Understand export / import concepts
• Using export on sub-procedure definitions
• Define and use NOMAIN modules
• Code Cycle-Main and Linear-Main procedures
• Teraspace storage model v Single-level storage model
  
  
  

Service Programs & Binding Directories

• Bind by copy v Bind by reference
• Service Program creation and Maintenance
• Service Program creation and Maintenance
• Service program exports and Public Interface
• Control Service Program Signatures
• Binding Language and QSRVSRC
• Public and Private procedures
• Binding Directory objects
• Use of Binding Directory to simplify the program creation process