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Status Planned for future release
Workspace IBM i
Categories Languages - RPG
Created by Guest
Created on Jul 2, 2025

RELATED IDEAS

Allow DCL-S within enum to support exact parameter passing

I would find it useful to use ENUMs with Exact parameter passing.

At present, anything within an enum is implicitly defined using "DCL-C". Exact parameter passing requires variables to be defined as being LIKE the same parameter type, and so an enum value cannot be passed into a procedure with exact parameter types.

I think there are a couple of ways of doing this, shown below:

(1) Allow DCL-S within enums, they are implied CONST

dcl-s t_hexColor char(7);

dcl-enum colors;

  dcl-s red like(t_hexColor) inz('#FF0000');

  dcl-s yellow like(t_hexColor) inz('#FFFF00');

end-enum;

 

printColor(colors.red);

 

dcl-proc printColor;

  dcl-pi *n;

    color like(t_hexColor) options(*exact) const;

  end-pi;

end-proc;

 

(2) Allow parameter types to be defined as like an ENUM, and then allow anything within the enum to be passed in

dcl-s t_hexColor char(7);

dcl-enum colors;

  dcl-s red like(t_hexColor) inz('#FF0000');

  dcl-s yellow like(t_hexColor) inz('#FFFF00');

end-enum;

 

printColor(colors.red);

 

dcl-proc printColor;

  dcl-pi *n;

    color like(colors) options(*exact) const;

  end-pi;

end-proc;

Idea priority Low
  • Guest
    Oct 7, 2025
    IBM intends to provide a solution. However, IBM's plans may change and no commitment is made that a solution will be provided.

    You will be able to specify a data type for an enumeration, and you will be able to define fields, prototyped parameters, and prototyped return values like the enumeration. These like-defined items will be generally restricted to have only the values of the constants in the enumeration.

    When a parameter is defined like the enumeration with OPTIONS(*EXACT), you will only be allowed to pass the constants from the enumeration or items defined like the enumeration.

    dcl-enum colors char(7) qualified;
    red '#FF0000';
    yellow '#FFFF00';
    black '#000000' DFT;
    end-enum;
    dcl-s myColor like(colors); // Initialized to color.black, the default

    printColor (colors.red); // Ok, colors.red is one of the constants in the enumeration
    printColor (myColor); // Ok, myColor is defined like the enumeration
    printColor ('#FF0000'); // Error: Not a constant from the enumeration (even though it is the value of "red")

    dcl-proc printColor;
    dcl-pi *n;
    color like(colors) options(*exact) const;
    end-pi;
    end-proc;

    - IBM Power Systems Development
    Reply
  • Guest
    Oct 6, 2025

    How about keeping the enumerations as constants, but allowing the ENUM to inherit a data type?

    dcl-s myDataType_t char( 10 );
dcl-enum StillConstants like( myDataType_t );
  enum1 'JERRY';
  enum2 'JIMMY';
end-enum;  

Then allow those enums to be passed to a procedure that requires *EXACT parameter data type ONLY if that parameter is passed as CONST or VALUE.
    Reply
  • Guest
    Jul 3, 2025
    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.

    However, if this Idea is implemented, it will most likely involve allowing you to specify a data type for the enum.

    - IBM Power Systems Development
    Reply

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