Re: Is there a problem with RECORD LIKE notation

Brian, I have to admit I can't see much reason in not using the LIKE notation in 4gl programming. As to the ".*" notation, I think this is a matter of taste and the particular environment. Using the ".*" notation is obviously much quicker, more convenient and less prone to error upon first coding at least. As you say, all you have to do is recompile when table structures are modified. This is fine if your programs are all in one place, controlled by a tight group of programmers. A commonly used table may require recompiling all 4gl modules, but that's not much of a drawback. In a less organized environment where programs are being produced by many groups of people that access the same tables, you can run into problems with the ".*" notation. Note that if you avoid the ".*" notation you don't have to recompile any programs that aren't directly affected by a table alteration. For example, if a column is added to a table then the only programs that may have to be recompiled are those that have to insert values into the new column. There's also a middle philosophy that says use the ".*" notation only in those programs that maintain the given table. Programs that may be considered extra like reports and other programs that reference the table casually don't use the ".*". Most table alterations would then only require recompilation of the most directly involved programs which probably have to be modified anyway. I also think the ".*" is best avoided in PC client/server tools (2 tier) where different users may be using different versions of the application simply because it's more cumbersome to update the application to all users. One of the advantages of 4gl is that you recompile and presto all the users will be using the new version and any users currently in the old version are easily identified. Always ready to argue the benefits of good old 4gl :) Best wishes, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- John H. Frantz Power-4gl: Extending Informix-4gl john@rl.is http://www.rl.is/~john/pow4gl.html Brian McGinity wrote: > > I've been programming in 4gl for four years. I just finished my first > consultant position and have started a new job in a new company. > > This company is against using RECORD LIKE declarations. I can't > figure out why. Also they don't want to use .* notation. > > i.e. > > DEFINE w_record RECORD LIKE tbl.* > > SELECT * INTO w_record.* > FROM tbl> > They would rather see: > > DEFINE w_elm1 CHAR(2), > w_elm2 INTEGER > > SELECT elm1, elm2 INTO w_elm1, w_elm2 > FROM tbl> > I have no idea why. The record version is much better when a table is > changed--just recompile and go. According to Informix, it better to > select entire rows from tables. Plus it saves time and is less prone > to error. > > Today I had wrote a fetch statement to select some rows out of a table > that had over 50 elements. This is insane! Upper management is > pushing for this project, and I'm stuck preparing fetch and insert > statements. > > It's not in their standards. Am I missing something? > > Brian McGinity > >