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Status Future consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Languages - RPG
Created by Guest
Created on Feb 18, 2024

RELATED IDEAS

New ASSERT op-code

Assertions are good programming style and widely in use in C, C++ and other languages.

The idea is to have an ASSERT op-code like that:

   assert sqlcode in %list(0:100) 'Unexpected SQLCODE = '+%char(sqlcode);
   assert sqlcode = *zero %msg(...) %target(*caller);

So syntactically: 

   assert boolean-expression string-constant|%msg(..) [%target(..)];

Which would be equivalent to something like:

   if not (sqlcode = *zero);
     snd-msg *escape 'SQLCODE is not zero!';
   endif;

But the new op-code would provide:

  1. A "positive" notation like in "contract programming"

  2. An shorter and easier to read notation

  3. A wider adoption of exceptions/messages

Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Sep 24, 2024

    Assertions are also used outside of unit test, as a way of ensuring the validity of the code.

    An assert() in the code has two benefits:

    1) It tells maintenance programmers about the assumptions that earlier programmers have made.

    2) When an assert() fails, it can give better information about the cause of the problem than waiting for the actual problem to happen, especially if the actual problem wouldl be a silent failure without any exception, causing incorrect results.

    - Barbara Morris, IBM

  • Admin
    Carmelita Ruvalcaba Cevallos
    Reply
    |     Sep 24, 2024

    The CAAC has reviewed this IBM Idea and recommends that IBM not implement this request.

    Assert is a concept used in unit testing to compare two values and see if they match.

    If looking for exception handling, the monitor block can handle this,

    For more information, view this article: https://www.rpgpgm.com/2022/05/new-way-in-rpg-to-monitor-for-errors.html

    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

    1 reply
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jun 10, 2024
    IBM will use this Idea as input to planning, but no commitment is made or implied. This Idea will be updated in the future if IBM implements it. IBM will use votes and comments from others in the community to help prioritize this Idea.
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Mar 15, 2024

    It's true that it's easy to write an assert() procedure, but with an assert() procedure, the joblog would show the assert() procedure as the sender, making it more difficult to determine the problem.

    The advantage of an ASSERT opcode would be that the joblog would show the current procedure and statement number as the sender of the error message.

    - Barbara Morris, IBM

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Feb 26, 2024

    Created a service program and procedure named ASSERT is so easy to do. Have you tried that?

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