Re: "WordWrap" and temporary string storage

> ... I am a die-hard supporter >of Informix-4GL because it is superior to the other tools I have used. Ditto. I agree or I wouldn't be wasting this much energy talking about the changes I would like to see. >One of the things I like about Informix-4GL is that it does NOT >have all them "bells and whistles." This is also why I and many other >people like C. Why have all those huge libraries filled with crud >you'll never use? ... Here I have to disagree with you. Are you suggesting that I do *not* get a 200 Kb executable every time I write a "hello world" program? If so, I have a news flash for you :-). Actually, it's 227190 Bytes. I just checked. I suspect that this executable is filled with crud the program will never use. Does this bother me? Not really. I should have written it in C. I was under the impression that I4GL was a speciality language designed for developing database applications. If so, it makes sense that the libraries contain enough crud to do it as efficently as possible. > ... If you want the bells and whistles, you can always >add them yourself. ... I would if I had pass by reference for functions and arrays like I do in C, but I don't. Without this, I have to re-write code and this improves the odds that I will make an error. --- But wait, a little voice says. All things come to them who wait --- for 4GL++ . . . . Opps, sorry. This belongs on a different thread. > ... You can have highlighted display arrays rather >easily using INPUT ARRAY. Yes, it would be nice if the feature >were there with just one command, but it's not that hard to do it >with a little more code. You can simulate dynamic arrays with >temp tables; yeah, I know it's not exactly the same thing, but >it will do in a pinch. ... Yes, I is possible to create the effect in a pinch, but I takes a lot of code and it is a mess to maintain. > ... And yes, I suppose there's a bug or two >in 4GL, but I know of no bug-free software product. Yeah, I agree. But then I make my living by being the person around the shop who keeps track of all the bugs. If Informix were perfect, I might have to work for a living. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ David Stockel Internet: dccrjc9@unix.bell-atl.com of ADIA Information Technologies Voice: (215) 466-3216 at Bell Atlantic Fax: (215) 665-1329 1717 Arch Street 4-N-8 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Proudly serving my corporate masters