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I would like to propose a refinement to the terminology used in the documentation for the third parameter of %LEFT, %RIGHT, and other RPG IV built-in functions that handle multi-byte characters. Currently, the terms NATURAL and STDCHARSIZE are used, but they can be ambiguous and do not clearly distinguish between character-based and byte-based operations.
To provide greater clarity and consistency with industry-standard terminology used in C/C++, I recommend updating the terminology as follows:
Why This Change Matters
By using BYTECOUNT and CHARCOUNT, the documentation would more clearly communicate the behavior of these modes and avoid confusion, especially when working with UTF-8 and other multi-byte CCSIDs. Additionally, this terminology aligns with how C and C++ handle similar distinctions, making it easier for developers with experience in those languages to understand RPG IV string operations.
Idea priority | High |
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I agree. Just had the same thoughts as I had to read the documentation several times to figure out what was meant.