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Status Future consideration
Workspace IBM i
Created by Guest
Created on Jan 20, 2022

RDI: Content assist can not show fields in data structures with more than 2 levels

In RDI you can normally use content assistent ( ctrl+space) to select a field from a list of fields. This works ok for data structures with 2 levels but if you have 3 or more it doesn't work.

Example:
dcl-ds myDS1 qualified;
field1 like(myField1);
field2 like(myField2);
field3 like(myField3);
field4 like(myField4);
end-ds;

Here if you type myDS1. and press ctrl+space you will be presented of a list with field1 to field4.

Now we have another situation
dcl-ds myDS2 qualified;
dcl-ds p;
field1 like(myField1);
field2 like(myField2);
end-ds;
dcl-ds o;
field3 like(myField3);
field4 like(myField4);
end-ds;
end-ds;

Here if you type myDS2.p. and press ctrl+space I would expect a list with the fields field1 and field2. But nothing happends. It looks like that RDI can not show more than 2 levels of a data structure.

So every time I have to expand the data structure in the Outline to see the fields in myDS2.p and type them manually. It is really time consuming.


Use Case:

Given a data structure with 3 or more levels it should be possible to select a field with content assist (ctrl+space) from level 3.

Now you have to first select level 1 ( myDS2 ), then p from level 2 using content assist and then typing the field name manually ( field2 ) after expanding the data structure in the Outline to have a list of fields.

Today it is not unusually with data structures with more that 2 levels. For example with XML. So content assist should support this too.


Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 1, 2023

    Unbelievable that such BASIC function doesn't exists still in rdi 9.8 in 2023 (that I downloaded just to see if they implemented it)... this is expected...

    This is high requirement, have you ever tried to program with nested DS and rdi?

    The use of nested DS layout is useful when working with webservices due to the isomorphism of such DS with the message on the wire (JSON, XML) and the relative serialization using DATA-GEN, DATA-INTO for example...

    cmon guys...

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Mar 22, 2022

    The CAAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a high priority requirement that is important to be addressed. XML and JSON need multiple layered data structures. For RDi to be the IDE of choice, it needs to keep up with capabilities provided in RPG.

    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 RFEs on the broader IBM i community, and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    Nancy Uthke-Schmucki - CAAC Program Manager

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Feb 7, 2022

    Although the theme of this request is consistent with our business strategy, it is not committed to the release that is currently under development.