What's new in Rational Programming Patterns

The following new capabilities are introduced in Rational® Programming Patterns Version 9.5.1.

Migration enhancements

The MIAM procedure has been enhanced.
  • It now detects the following errors:
    • Potential override of standard generated subfunctions,
    • Cross-references of Data Elements that include special characters in their codes,
    • Cross-references in the OSC and OSD operators with special characters in the Screen external name,
    • Title line (N type) not on a line 000 and SUP operator not on the first line in a subfunction of a Screen,
    • Input Aid with more than 100 description lines.
  • It also detects extraction method and user service calls in Business Components. These calls will be transformed into calls to special protected Macros after an action from the administrator.

New Server entities

The Communication Monitor, Folder, Folder View, and their associated Dialogs are now available.

Impact analysis enhancements

  • A free reference is set when the name of a target instance is entered in some fields of a source instance. Such fields are, for example, the Source and Target fields in a Screen, or the Action Code and Update Table fields in a Segment. Content assist is available and a subreference link is created, even if the target instance is not defined. The target instance is displayed in the subreference results of the source instance. Its super references can be searched.
  • Instances can be called in the design editor tables by directly entering their name in the field. Opening the selection wizard and select the instance is no longer required. Such is the case, for example, when you call a Segment or a Data Element in the Segment -CE Lines.
  • From the References result view, the design of a referencing instance can be opened on the link that connects it to a referenced instance.
  • The relationships between a Segment and its Data Structure have been enhanced. When a Segment is created, its Data Structure is automatically created in the project if it does not exist. If a Data Structure is deleted, an error is automatically set on its Segments.

Usability enhancements

  • The -CE Lines tab of the Logical View editor contains drop-down lists in the columns Data Element Presence, Transfer Direction, and Transfer Operator. Content assist is available in the Transfer Area column.
  • The Data Element three formats are displayed in selection lists for the selection of a parent Data Element or of a Data Element in the –CE Lines of a Report, Segment, or Screen.
  • Noncontiguous instances can be selected in selection lists to select Data Elements in the –CE Lines of a Report, Segment, or Screen, or Macros in the –CP Lines of a Program, Screen, or Server.
  • When an instance is moved to another project, its generation parameters automatically change to reference the new project. Furthermore, the generated file also moves with the design file.

Macro enhancements

  • Macro lines can be dispatched inside a specific code block with tags. You insert these tags to frame the specific code lines and guide the placement of the Macro lines. Reconciliation errors are then prevented when the instance is generated or when Macros are merged.
  • Controls are added to the Macro source code editor. They apply to the line numbers, identifiers, attribute lines, and consistency checks.

Enhanced COBOL management

  • The PDP COBOL editor displays quick fixes for the warnings that are triggered by the migration or the reconciliation.
  • The COBOL files of Programs, Screens, or Servers can be compared in the PDP Generated Code Compare editor. The comparison applies either to two local files that are compared with each other in the same stream, or to the local version and the server version of a file.
  • The impacts of Macro call modifications can be easily seen in the -CP Lines of the calling instance. If you click the new Preview button, the generation automatically starts and the compare editor opens. You can then see the differences between the new COBOL code and the previous COBOL code and copy some differences.
  • The ELSE condition is available in the Macro function and subfunction creation wizard.
  • Functions are subfunctions can be managed from the Generated Code Structure view. They can be added, deleted, moved, or copied and pasted. Their titles and levels can be updated.
  • The micropattern code is improved.
    • A new color preference is available for the micropattern declaration lines.
    • You can copy and paste micropattern lines without copying the generated code lines. Only the declaration line is copied.
  • A new batch command rpp --analyzeRegeneratedFiles regenerates the generated files (.cbl or .map files for example) in the memory. It then detects the files that are dephased, desynchronized, erroneous, or the orphan metadata files. You can then ensure the coherence of the generated files in your workspace.
  • The wizard to replace a subfunction in function F80 has been redesigned.

Other enhancements

  • You can specify where the specific error message file is to be stored. It can be in the workspace (in the INTER project) or in a local directory.
  • Extraction methods and user services are now called through special protected Macros in the -CP Lines. These Macros are ££80EX and ££USER.
  • A Database Block can be generated, even if it has the same external name as another Database Block that is already generated in the location. This generation is managed with a new preference: Allow the generation to override generated files from another design. After the new generation, the former file that was generated from the other Database Block is automatically removed whereas the new generated file is nested under the new Database Block.
Parent topic: Overview of IBM Rational Programming Patterns
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