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I just rename my procedure and export as MyFunction_DEPRECATED so that existing programs can still use it, however when recompiling they get an error that MyFunction no longer exists. If they're smart and look in the list of prototypes they can of course see that it still exists (and even use it which is a drawback).
Having the *DEPRECATED value for the EXPORT keyword would mean that only the module containing the procedure would know it was deprecated. It would be impossible for the compiler to issue the warning or error when compiling a call from a different module.
Having multiple versions of a prototype isn't ideal in general since it makes it difficult to make any change to the procedure. Also, it defeats one purpose of a prototype which is to ensure that the callers have the same idea about the parameters as the procedure itself. If a shop has multiple copies of a prototype, and they wanted to add the DEPRECATED keyword to the prototypes, they could combine that change with an exercise to replace all the various prototypes with a /COPY to pick up the one single prototype.
- Barbara Morris
I'm leery of having a keyword on DCL-PR, because there are shops out there that may have numerous prototypes for a procedure all over the place. You would need to find and go into all those programs and copybooks and put on the DEPRECATED keyword to every occurence of a prototype.
Would it work better if this was implemented as an option to the EXPORT keyword?
Something like EXPORT(*DEPRECATED) ?
This way, I don't need to worry about any prototypes.
The CAAC has reviewed this IBM Idea and recommends that IBM view this as a medium priority Idea that should be addressed.
This would be extremely valuable to the new programmers entering the community who would expect this feature to be available.
Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual IBM Ideas on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your Idea.
For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac
Carmelita Ruvalcaba- CAAC Program Manager
If this is implemented, the DEPRECATED keyword would be a keyword for the prototype. Normally, prototype keywords are repeated for the procedure interface, and the compiler checks that the keyword is the same for both DCL-PR and DCL-PI. But in this case, the DEPRECATED keyword might fit better on the DCL-PROC itself, and then the compiler would verify that the DCL-PR (if it existed) would have the same setting as the DCL-PROC.
If this is implemented, there might also be a CTL-OPT option, and possibly a command parameter, to allow programmers to control the level of diagnostic message they get from the compiler. It might be similer to the way the REQPREXP command parameter and CTL-OPT keyword work, something like DEPRECATED(*ALLOW | *WARN | *NOALLOW), where it would probably default to *WARN.
- IBM Power Systems Development
Would it be better if the DEPRECATED keyword was on the prototype? If it is just on the procedure, callers in other modules wouldn't be able to get the warning.
- Barbara Morris