Perplexed by LAWSON

Rita,

The 6th line is most likely what expanded to the 70+ additional lines. If you noticed, you didn't have to define the PERFORM routine. This is similar to using a standardized call in most modern languages, such as Java/C/C++.

The preprocessor added the additional logic based on a template.



The usual (simplified) flow of new programs is as follows:

1) Paint the form

2) Generate the resultant code

3) Modify said program (this is where you can replace any inefficient code with functionally identical code)

4) Compile and test completed program



...As for your question. I would at first leave the generated code alone to ensure your program works as intended, unless you need the optimized code to make the program work. After you pass initial testing, I would then strip the non-optimized code, replacing with the efficient code.



I'm sure other more capable developers will chime in with more seasoned responses, but hopefully this helps the basic thought processes.



Kwane

Rita...

When you paint the full name field, it generates a lot of code as you saw. You cannot alter what the paint process does. However I will always remove all of this code and use the code you supplied 750-HR-FORMAT-NAME. This routine is comes in the HR code and was generated well after the initial paint screen logic. I take the time to remove the "generated" code and use the above routine because it is so much of a smaller piece of code and easy to use. I have also used this routine to format CITY, STATE ZIP in the past as well

This routine resides in a pdlib member called HRFN70CP.

You have two options when using this routine... You can output HRWS-FORMAT-NAME or HRWS-FORMAT-FULL-NAME. The FORMAT-NAME option delivers your more typical naming convention, Lastname, Firstname MI. The FULL NAME option will deliver the names with all embedded spaces in each name field. As an example, the EMP-FIRST-NAME field is 15 spaces as defined int he db definition. If you took your name for an example, you would see; "RITA " (11 spaces) following it. on your report/extract. I will always use the FORMAT-NAME option to suppress the spaces out of the name fields.

Good luck.

Besides the full name, there is a lot more crazy code that got generated. ie If statements without actions. Do I keep it for further reference, or could I just delete it?

Rita... If you are going to use the 750-HR-FORMAT-NAME, you can remove all of the generated code from the paint pertaining to the name formatting. I have never noticed incomplete code in the routine however.

Jim

Jim, the incomplete code I was talking about was not in the Full-Name routine, it was generated via other fields/buttons from the paint screen. I didn't know what to do with incomplete if/else statements so I just added move I1 to I1 line to get a successful compile, but it bothers me that this pointless code is there.

What is the proper protocol? Can I remove these ifs or will it cause problems in the future when there are additional changes requested?

Rita... Can you cut and paste a sample of that code here? I have never seen that before.

008400     IF (XZ36F1-FC NOT = "I" AND "+" AND "-")
008500         GO TO 210-END.
008600
008700     IF (XZ36F1-FC = "I" OR "+")
008800         MOVE I1 TO I1.

009000     PERFORM 850-FIND-NLT-TRDSET1.
009100     IF (XZ36F1-FC = "-")
009200         PERFORM 870-FIND-PREV-TRDSET1.
009300
=================================================================================
046400                 OR     (TIMERECORD-NOTFOUND)
046500                 OR     (TRD-COMPANY  NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-COMPANY)
046600                 OR     (TRD-EMPLOYEE NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-EMPLOYEE)
046700                 OR     (TRD-TIME-SEQ NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-TIME-SEQ)
046800
046900             IF (TIMERECORD-NOTFOUND)
047000             OR (TRD-COMPANY   NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-COMPANY)
047100             OR (TRD-EMPLOYEE NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-EMPLOYEE)
047200             OR (TRD-TIME-SEQ NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-TIME-SEQ)
0                      MOVE I1 TO I1
047300             ELSE
047400                 MOVE I1 TO I1
                   END-IF
047500         END-IF
047600         IF (TIMERECORD-NOTFOUND)
047700         OR (TRD-COMPANY  NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-COMPANY)
047800         OR (TRD-EMPLOYEE NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-EMPLOYEE)
047900         OR (TRD-TIME-SEQ NOT = XZ36F1-TRD-TIME-SEQ)
048000             MOVE CRT-INQ-COMPLETE    TO CRT-MESSAGE



Move I1 to I1 is my code to make it compile

Rita...

So this is a form that you painted? Can you explain to me what you were trying to do? I worked for Lawson for 15 years and never saw it do anything like this. Although the "paint" process isn't perfect, I've never seen it generate incomplete code as you are showing.

I was given a project two weeks ago with very minimum instructions of how Lawson works. At that time, I took key fields from a primary file, placed them on a screen as input with labels and output field name (if available) next to it with description such as full_name.

Then I added a few random fields from the primary file as input, added labels, came out and ran bldpgm and qcompile commands. My compile didn't work because of the incomplete code. I went back in via led command and added the move lines, it recompiled and worked.

Now I am working on figuring out how to display pay-period start and end dates (and get a drill screen for date selection), and after that it will be on how to display all the period dates within the range on the detail line.

Per Kwane's initial statement, the "Best Practice" if you are using the paint function is to paint the key portion of what you are trying to do and then edit as necessary. Someone else also correctly stated, once you edit the generated code, you cannot go back and re-generate or you will lose your modifications.
Is the compiler truly generating incomplete code? Looking at the line numbers it looks like there are some pieces missing in your paste.

To sum up, you can edit/remove/modify to your hearts content as long as you are not going to try and re-paint/re-gen code. Please let us know if you have any specific questions on making your form work as desired.

thank you