Fourth edition
By Bryan Meyers and Jim Buck

Since its original publication, Programming in RPG IV has given thousands of students and professionals a strong foundation in the essentials of business programming using RPG IV. Now Bryan Meyers has teamed up with Jim Buck to produce the most significant update to the book since that first edition. The all-new Fourth Edition is completely reorganized and rewritten to reflect the RPG IV style and techniques used by today's most capable RPG technicians.

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"This book approaches the language with the intent of teaching you all the up to date features and tools." --Aaron B.

RPG IV is evolving and gaining capabilities at a more rapid rate than any of today's other computer languages, and this text is up-to-the-moment in its coverage of the specifications, operations, and functions of the language. The coverage uses IBM i Release 5.4 as its base release and is also compatible with later releases.

Free-format specifications, modular procedures, the latest built-in functions, and more are all covered in this fully updated text, complete with numerous programming examples and support material. The topics have been reorganized to follow a more logical approach to teaching the language than did previous editions. The new order also reflects the importance of the language components in real-world usage.

The scope of the book includes comprehensive coverage of the program development process, RPG IV specifications and operations, top down structured design, database definition and processing, interactive applications, and modular programming. This edition explains and emphasizes important concepts of the Integrated Language Environment, including the use of modular procedures and service programs in a modern System i application.

A series of appendices will prove useful not only while you are learning RPG IV but also as everyday references. The appendices include a comprehensive summary of RPG IV syntax elements (specifications, operations, functions, and so on); an RPG IV style guide; introductions to program development tools (including WebSphere Development Studio Client and Programming Development Manager); a guide to debugging programs; and a summary of legacy syntax and techniques for use when maintaining older applications.

Using the techniques in this book, you will be well equipped to create highly effective and maintainable RPG IV programs using the latest techniques.

Note: This book was originally published by 29th Street Press, MC Press acquired the rights to this book and this is a reprint of that title. Despite different covers, the content of the 29th Street Press version seen here and the new MC Press reprint are the same.

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Table of Contents (576 pages)

1. Introduction to Programming and RPG
2. Getting Started
3. Externally Described Files
4. Defining Data with Definition Specifications
5. Using Arithmetic Operations and Functions
6. Processing Character Data
7. Working with Dates
8. Controlling Program Workflow
9. Using Arrays and Tables
10. Accessing and Updating Database Files
11. Writing Interactive Applications
12. Calling Programs and Passing Parameters
13. Building Modular Programs with Procedures
14. Handling Errors
15. Programming with Subfiles

Appendices

1. RPG IV Summary
2. RPG IV Style Guide
3. Program Development Tools
4. Program Testing and Debugging
5. Maintaining the Past
6. Data Files

Index

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Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: MC Press
Date: 4th edition (August 2010)
10 digit ISBN: 1583473556
13 digit ISBN: 978-1583473559