Re: 4gl and NULL integers with 7.30.UC1
I have to agree with Jonathon on this one. Why would you use let var = "" and expect it to return a null. I always just LET var = NULL... Of course I have to admit I have always worked in UNIX systems (ULTRIX, AIX, HP-UX, System V, etc) but have never had a problem. Rob Vorbroker Am I missing something??? John Carlson <John_Carlson@whsmithusa.com> wrote in message news:91t39d$5mm$1@news.xmission.com... > > What about returning a variable set to null . . . i.e. > > let p_rtn = 0 > > if (condition) then > let p_rtn = null > end if > > return p_rtn > > > > Also, conversely on the function call . . . . > > let p_var1=1 > let p_var2="Test" > let p_var3=null > > call my_funct(p_var1, p_var2, p_var3) > > John Carlson > Informix Database Administrator > EDS - WHSmith USA > 3200 Windy Hill Road, Suite 1500 West > Atlanta, GA 30330 > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Andrew Hamm [mailto:ahamm@sanderson.net.au] > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 2:04 AM > To: informix-list@iiug.org > Subject: Re: 4gl and NULL integers with 7.30.UC1 > > > Jonathan Leffler wrote in message <3A415379.D76BA73C@informix.com>... > > > >Well, using the character string is a dubious way of writing NULL. I'm > >not sure I approve of it at all. > > > Dubious or not, there are odd locations where you CANNOT use null. Try this > (don't know if 7.3X is fixed) > > return NULL > > and you get a stupid error message about NULL being an undefined variable. > > | The symbol "null" does not represent a defined variable. > | See error number -4369. > > Function call is also bad news: > > call x(NULL) > > with the same compiler error result. > > There are one or two more situations (can't recall them off the top of my > head, or the sides) where "" must be used instead of NULL, which is kinda > irritating. > > Regardless of this, although it may rightly be called "dubious" it is > nevertheless correct since 4GL (RDS or C) supports conversion of string to > numeric, and thus any kinda null string should be correctly converted to > it's equivalent null numeric. > > signed: Andrew "with the occasional dubious programming practice" Hamm. > >