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IBM believes that the request described has been solved.
The SQL WHENEVER statement was enhanced in fall 2020 with with IBM i 7.4 PTF Group level 10 and IBM i 7.3 PTF Group level 22. WHENEVER now supports calling a host language procedure, RPG subroutine, or COBOL procedure.
The CEAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a HIGH priority requirement that is important to address.
This enhancement would help all developers (experienced and new to IBM i ) to code better programs.
Background: The COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CEAC has a crucial role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your RFE.
To find out how CEAC help to shape the future of IBM i, see CEAC @ ibm.biz/BdYSYj and the article "The Five Hottest IBM i RFEs Of The Quarter" at ibm.biz/BdYSZT
Therese Eaton – CEAC Program Manager, IBM
The CEAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a HIGH priority requirement that is important to address.
This enhancement would help all developers (experienced and new to IBM i ) to code better programs.
Probably no work-around, Broad appeal to SMB customers, High business value and marketing appeal (including strategic, gap in the market)
Background: The COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CEAC has a crucial role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your RFE.
To find out how CEAC help to shape the future of IBM i, see CEAC @ ibm.biz/BdYSYj and the article "The Five Hottest IBM i RFEs Of The Quarter" at ibm.biz/BdYSZT
Therese Eaton – CEAC Program Manager, IBM
IBM has received the requirement and is evaluating it. IBM will provide a response after evaluation is complete.
Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
Brand - Servers and Systems Software
Product family - Power Systems
Product - IBM i
Component - Db2 for i
Operating system - IBM i
Source - None
For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
Brand - Servers and Systems Software
Product family - Power Systems
Product - IBM i
Component - Languages - RPG
Operating system - IBM i
Source - None
Dan - With respect, I disagree. We do have our own service program, as do many other shops, I'm sure. But why does everyone need their own version of something that IBM could very well offer as standard for a better product (IMO)?
Take a simple cursor loop:
exec sql OPEN cursor;
exec sql FETCH FROM cursor INTO :ds;
dow %subst(SQLSTATE : 1 :2) = '00';
// do some stuff
exec sql FETCH FROM cursor INTO :ds;
enddo;
exec sql CLOSE cursor;
Then add error checking (I'll admit you would get away without checking the close of cursor, but I'll add it for completeness):
exec sql OPEN cursor;
checkSqlState();
exec sql FETCH FROM cursor INTO :ds;
checkSqlState();
dow %subst(SQLSTATE : 1 :2) = '00';
// do some stuff
exec sql FETCH FROM cursor INTO :ds;
checkSqlState();
enddo;
exec sql CLOSE cursor;
checkSqlState();
Checking each individual SQL statement is very pessimistic and interrupts the flow of the actual business logic. I would like to be able to deal with exceptions as exactly that: exceptional behaviour. Having escape messages would allow me to surround multiple statements in a MONITOR block (for example) with a single error handler, instead of padding out the code as shown.
Barbara - I did see that. It's actually what motivated me to request this, since it has been on my mind for a while :)
Regarding the need to use a TAG opcode for the WHENEVER clause, there's an upcoming enhancement to support defining a tag using an EXEC SQL statement. It will be available around the time of the spring 2020 TRs for 7.3 and 7.4.
EXEC SQL TAG HANDLER;
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_74/db2/rbafztag.htm
See https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/1381917
This change request is not needed. Just write a sub-proc in a utility service program that you call after each embedded command. One line call, no bloat. This new sub-proc will turn on/off pre-defined booleans (in a protocol copybook) and if the error is unknown report it to a log table. This is how we do it. There is no need for an escape message. If you find your code is bloated, you are not doing it right.