- #STICK RPG 2 WIKI GENERATOR#
- #STICK RPG 2 WIKI CODE#
- #STICK RPG 2 WIKI SERIES#
- #STICK RPG 2 WIKI WINDOWS#
#STICK RPG 2 WIKI CODE#
Alternatively files, some data structures and reports can be defined externally, mostly eliminating the need to hand code input and output (" I/O") specifications. Output Specifications can follow which can be used to determine the layout of other files or reports. This is followed by Calculation Specifications, which contain the executable instructions. The program File Specifications, listed all files being written to, read from or updated, followed by Data Definition Specifications containing program elements such as Data Structures and dimensional arrays, much like a "Working-Storage" section of a COBOL program. RPG programs written to take advantage of the program cycle could produce complex reports with far fewer lines of computer code than programs written in COBOL and other business-centric languages.
The matching record feature of the cycle enabled easy processing of files having a header-to-detail relationship. The concept of level breaks and matching records is unique to the RPG II language, and was originally developed with card readers in mind. The indicator consisted of a set of logical variables numbered 01–99 for user-defined purposes, or other smaller sets based upon record, field, or report processing functions. At that time each record (individual punched card) would be compared to each line in the program, which would act upon the record, or not, based upon whether that line had an "indicator" turned "on" or "off". A programmer would write code to process an individual record, and the program cycle would execute the change against every record of a file, taking care of the control flow. In the early days of RPG, its major strength was the program cycle. ICL also produced a version on its VME/K operating system. RPG II was also available for larger systems, including the IBM System/370 mainframe running DOS/VSE (then VSE/SP, VSE/ESA, and z/VSE). It was later used on System/32, System/34, and System/36, with an improved version of the language.
#STICK RPG 2 WIKI SERIES#
RPG II was introduced with the System/3 series of computers. Assembler and COBOL were more common in mainframe business operations ( System/360 models 30 and above) and RPG more commonly used by customers who were in transition from tabulating equipment (System/360 model 20).
The alternative languages generally available at the time were Assembler, COBOL or FORTRAN.
#STICK RPG 2 WIKI GENERATOR#
RPG was superior to and rapidly replaced FARGO as the report generator program of choice. Tab machines programs were executed by impulses emitted in a machine cycle hence, FARGO and RPG emulated the notion of the machine cycle with the program cycle. Tab machine technicians were accustomed to plugging wires into control panels to implement input, output, control and counter operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide). FARGO ( Fourteen-o-one Automatic Report Generation Operation) was the predecessor to RPG on the IBM 1401.īoth languages were intended to facilitate ease of transition for IBM tabulating machine (Tab) unit record equipment technicians to the then-new computers. FOLDOC accredits Wilf Hey with work at IBM that resulted in the development of RPG. Originally developed by IBM in 1959, the name Report Program Generator was descriptive of the purpose of the language: generation of reports from data files.
#STICK RPG 2 WIKI WINDOWS#
RPG II applications are still supported under the IBM z/VSE and z/OS operating systems, Unisys MCP, Microsoft Windows and OpenVMS. There have also been implementations for the VAX, Sperry Univac BC/7, Univac system 80, Siemens BS2000, Burroughs B700, B1700, Hewlett Packard HP 3000, the ICL 2900 series, Honeywell 62, Four-Phase IV/70 and IV/90 series, Singer System 10 and WANG VS, as well as miscellaneous compilers and runtime environments for Unix-based systems, such as Infinite36 (formerly Unibol 36), and PCs (Baby/400, Lattice-RPG). They also produced an implementation for the System/360, and it became the primary programming language for their midrange computer product line, (the System/3, System/32, System/34, System/38, System/36 and AS/400). The RPG programming language originally was created by IBM for their 1401 systems.