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The best training for a new RPG programmer

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  • The best training for a new RPG programmer

    Hello...........

    Here's what should be a fairly easy question. We have a programmer on staff who needs the best, most current RPG training course available so she can quickly help us out with our backlog of work. Can any of you recommend what you consider to be the best RPG training out there? This needs to be concise, in-depth training so that when she completes it we can turn her loose on one of our more complicated projects.

    Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

    Bill

  • #2
    Re: The best training for a new RPG programmer

    timing is everything! check out this thread http://www.code400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6058
    I'm not anti-social, I just don't like people -Tommy Holden

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    • #3
      Re: The best training for a new RPG programmer

      I think the sink or swim model works pretty well. I've been programming in RPG for about 18 months now and came in with no experience. What they did was have me work on projects that were fairly simple but similar to other projects that were already completed. I would use the established code as a base for learning functionality and with a few good book and this wonderful site along with the help of my fellow programmers here where I work I was able to come up to speed.

      The manuals I would recommend would be the "Who knew you could do that with RPG" redbook which is a downloadable PDF and "Programming RPGIV". If she reads through most of "Programming RPGIV" she will start to gain an understanding of the basics so that when she looks at her first project she isn't over whelmed. I would give her a month or two to really feel out the language and complete some examples.

      I found that my largest hurdle wasn't learning the language, it was learning the environment, the table structures, the relations and all that fun stuff.

      $.02
      Your future President
      Bryce

      ---------------------------------------------
      http://www.bravobryce.com

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      • #4
        Re: The best training for a new RPG programmer

        We spent a month doing ATS courses learning AS400 sytem operations, CL, RPG/400, display files, subfiles and RPG IV with the final module covering sub procedures.

        I think it's helpful to learn the basics of the platform first.

        On the copying other programs front I've seen a lot of that. I heard about an RPG III program that is relatively new because it was easier to copy an old program than write a new one. I've also seen people struggle to learn new things because they are so dependant on the copy and tweak method that when it comes to writing something new they can't manage it. Most of the programs I write aren't really similar to anything else. I have a template for some of the basic bits but writing most from scratch allows my programs and style to evolve. Consequently my best program is always my last. Copying isn't a bad place to start when documentation is light (available resources for RPG are terrible compared to more widely used languages). However, in the long term I think you learn more by actually writing the program.

        Just an opinion.
        Ben

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        • #5
          Re: The best training for a new RPG programmer

          For some samples and websites, take a look at :



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