In addition to allowing the external definition of database files, ILE RPG lets you define reports externally.
By Brian Meyers and Jim Buck
Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from chapter 3 of Programming in ILE RPG, Fifth Edition.
Externally describing printer files offers many of the same benefits as externally describing database files. In particular, this method lets you change a report format without changing the source code of the program that produces the report—a wise approach to application maintenance. Also, if you externally define printer files, you can use a system utility, such as RDi’s Report Designer, to help you design the report’s layout visually on your workstation. The utility then generates the DDS required to describe the report so you don’t have to do the grunt work of figuring out line position and spacing entries. (Appendix B covers Report Designer in more detail.) Read More
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