1. Practical Array Processing: Initializing and Sorting

Array processing has changed in RPG IV and has gotten significantly better. This article starts with the basics: initializing and sorting. By Joe Pluta Every computer language above the level of assembly language has the concept of an array

2. Exploiting the IBM Express Runtime

Developing multi-tiered software has become ever easier, but deploying it is a challenge that IBM Express Runtime was designed to meet. By Joe Pluta There are two kinds of developers in the world. One kind loves to cobble together a pow

3. Welcome to the New RDi-SOA

With the release of Version 7.5 of RDi-SOA, IBM provides the first real vision of the future of IBM i development. By Joe Pluta With Something Old and Something New They Borrowed the Best And Turned It Blue  

4. Practical Examples of Code Without Indicators, Part II

Indicatorless programming isn't just about removing indicators; it's about using Boolean values properly. Today's article will show you how. By Joe Pluta In the previous article in this series, I showed you how to use the INDARA

5. Using SQL in the Real World

Why are the examples for SQL always so lame? It's time to see what you can do with SQL on a real-world database. By Joe Pluta Seriously, how often do you change the price in an entire price file by 15 percent? I don't know of a

6. Practical Examples of Code Without Indicators, Part I

You've heard a lot about coding without indicators and perhaps even seen some code, but this article will show how the techniques can make you a better developer. By Joe Pluta RPG programmers have a long and storied relationship with

7. Will WiFi Finally Mark the End of the Desktop Workstation?

As wireless networks proliferate, will traditional desktop workstations be relegated to the same fate as the daisy wheel printer? By Joe Pluta I've been on the road lately doing a bit of consulting, and I've noticed a trend: Mor

8. Gain Control over Libraries in SOA Applications

Library lists have long been our mainstay, but with server programs it's not so easy to set that initial library list. By Joe Pluta The IBM i has a number of unique features, things that set it apart from nearly every other machine.

9. MySQL and IBM i: Where Does MySQL Fit in a DB2 World?

DB2 is the only database many of us have ever known.  This article shows you how you can broaden your database options. By Joe Pluta If you're an i programmer, you've been using DB2 from the beginning of your career (unless

10. Is There a Rich Client in Your Future?

The browser is the successor to the 5250, but the rich client is its replacement. By Joe Pluta The 5250 turned the midrange computer into the indispensable component of the computer world. You can reasonably argue that interactive

11. Picking the Right Partner for RPG

With all the options available, are you in danger of being blinded by application development science? By Joe Pluta RPG is no longer a standalone language. Gone are the days of learning RPG alone; you have to interface with the larger I

12. Easily Created Mashups for Business Applications

The new technologies available in Web 2.0 make it easy to combine multiple applications into a single interface. By Joe Pluta In a recent article, I discussed JavaScript frameworks, tools that help you build JavaScript applications. Bec

13. Accessing i Data from MS SQL Server

It's one thing to access SQL Server data from the System i, but it's another thing to access System i data from SQL Server. By Joe Pluta Heterogeneous data is one of the hallmarks of today's IT. Whether due to disparities in

14. RDi: New Tools Announcements

It's time for us dinosaurs to get out of the tar pits. RDi is here to stay. By Joe Pluta We've heard lots of reasons not to use the GUI tools IBM has (not so) gently nudged us toward: WebSphere Development Studio Client for Syst

15. Advances in XML

XML has become the standard for exchanging complex data, and i is quickly becoming the standard platform for processing it. By Joe Pluta Passing business data from one machine to another has always been one of the more difficult issues,

16. JavaScript Frameworks Compared

DHTML is what makes the browser dynamic, and JavaScript frameworks allow mere mortals to make it happen. By Joe Pluta JavaScript frameworks are the newest weapons in the Web application arsenal, and they're seriously powerful. Compa

17. READE and READPE Revisited

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, and in software, doomed to reinvent it. By Joe Pluta READE and READPE are powerful RPG opcodes whose use seems to be dwindling. Part of that may just be that people don't remember th

18. EJB3 and WebSphere: A Harmonious Union?

After stumbling out of the gate, Entity Java Beans return with a whole new attitude. By Joe Pluta In my most recent article on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), I mentioned that I consider Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) to be t

19. Qualifying Files and Programs in SOA

The library list is powerful, but it presents some difficulties in the new world of SOA; this article shows you how to get around those issues. By Joe Pluta Whenever we open files or call programs in i5/OS (or simply "i" as it

20. SOA in 2008

 Service-Oriented Architecture is more than a buzzword. By Joe Pluta I've been writing about Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for some time now. I did a complete review of the state of the technology in an article I wrote back i

21. Integers and RPG

Integers fields are a fantastic way to store relatively large numbers in a small space, but getting RPG to play nice isn't always easy. By Joe Pluta There are times when RPG simply leaps forward into the future and times when it nee

22. EGL in 2008

What's new with EGL, and what's coming? By Joe Pluta And I thought my last article started with some bad news. I'll tell you all the good news about EGL, including the amazing new mashup support, but first the bad news.

23. Alternate Access to the System i

During my quest for access to the System i, I uncovered an absolute diamond. By Joe Pluta This article is going to start out with a little bad news. Understand that most of the bad news is my fault; I'm going to have to revisit some

24. Introducing Eclipse Monkey

Remember using REXX for SEU exit points? If so, Eclipse Monkey is your new best friend. By Joe Pluta I so had to avoid saying something like "Bananas for Eclipse" in the title, but I restrained myself. Time to Get Back to the

25. i5/OS V6R1: Upgrade Now or Later?

Does the program-conversion requirement in V6R1 mean you should put off your move to V6R1? That depends.... By Joe Pluta A lot of issues have been brought to light regarding the latest release of i5/OS, perhaps none bigger than the obje

26. TechTip: Softlanding's RSE Extensions

One of the first and best of the System i plug-ins for WDSC, this extension provides some basic features missing from Remote Systems Explorer. By Joe Pluta The Remote System Explorer (RSE) extensions from Softlanding include a number of

27. TechTip: Three Open-Source Plug-ins for WDSC

Open-source plug-ins work well in WDSC, although some of them may be "eclipsed" by existing functionality. By Joe Pluta The Arcad plug-in from my last tip was obviously intended as a tool for System i developers. There aren

28. AD Repackaging in V6R1

A lot will change in V6R1, and perhaps the biggest change will be in the way you pay for your development tools. By Joe Pluta Welcome to the brave new world. The old tier-based model that we have been used to and that IBM was actually m

29. TechTip: The Arcad 5250 Emulator Plug-in for WDSC

In this first of a series of tips on plug-ins for WDSC, I'll introduce you to the ARCAD emulation plug-in. By Joe Pluta Until recently, I didn't do much with plug-ins in WDSC. I use the base package extensively, but I don't

30. The Reality of Virtual

Cable clutter, white noise, and even your carbon footprint can be reduced via virtualization, but is the technology ready for prime time? By Joe Pluta Back at the beginning of the year, I talked to you about virtualization and specificall

31. TechTip: Move Your Compile-Time Arrays to the D-Specs

A couple of odd little keywords allow you to use the old-fashioned compile time array, but this tip will show you a different take on it. By Joe Pluta Ah, another TechTip! Quick update: My last TechTip on getting PTFs on CD worked just fine

32. Book Review: Java for RPG Programmers

If you've been putting off learning Java, you have no excuse anymore! By Joe Pluta   Java for RPG Programmers has been popular for nearly a decade. This unique book manages to bridge the gap between the procedural nature of RPG

33. ISA: IBM's Latest Best-Kept Secret

Have you ever heard of IBM Support Assistant? Well, prepare to be introduced to an ambitious little project that nobody seems to know about.   I spend a lot of time on the Internet. Probably too much time. But I do it with a purpose: to b

34. TechTip: Convincing Fix Central to Send Your PTFs on CD

IBM has made it incredibly easy to order PTFs, unless you're the Slowskis. I love the IBM download process at Fix Central. Once I got all my entitlement stuff straightened out, I've since had no problems ordering PTFs and groups and c

35. WDSC Basics, Volume 1, Number 5: Compiling a Program and Reviewing the Results

Now that you have a working environment, it’s time to do some work! You’ll see how to compile in this tutorial. Welcome to the fifth tutorial in the WDSC Basics introductory series. Up until this point, you've configured

36. WDSC Basics, Volume 1, Number 6: Debugging a Program Using a Service Entry Point

After all that hard work, a reward. This tutorial introduces you to the next great advance in debugging technology: System Entry Points. Welcome to the sixth and final tutorial in the introductory series "WDSC Basics." You've

37. Weaving WebSphere: IT Starts with an "i"

I have seen the future of the System i, and it's very bright—-and a little bit scary.   I speak every year at iSeries DevCon, and every year I try to get to the keynote address because I never know what I'm going to h

38. Weaving WebSphere: Installing WebSphere Express 6.1

In this column, we return to our roots with a detailed how-to on installing the latest version of WebSphere Express on System i.   I recently did my very first scratch install of i5/OS. And while IBM provides really good instructio

39. Lotus Symphony Directly Targets Microsoft

Can the IBM magic that launched Eclipse into the stratosphere strike again in the office automation arena?   I promise I will do everything I can to avoid the musical allusions. It's much too easy to dredge up phrases like &quo

40. Training the Cross-Platform Team

In these days of multiple languages and architectures, how do you cohesively train a group of people with very different development goals?   "We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.&q

41. WDSC Basics, Volume 1, Number 4: Using the RSE View to Set Up a Work Session

You can connect and edit, but now it’s time to manage your source. This tutorial shows you how. Welcome to the fourth in our series of ongoing WDSC tutorials. In previous tutorials, I showed you how to configure your workbench and c

42. Weaving WebSphere: Debugging a Running System i Job

One of the most important functions in any production shop is to be able to debug running user jobs, and WDSC provides two ways to do that.

43. WDSC Basics, Volume 1, Number 3: Open Any Source Member Using the Open Member Dialog

Now that you're connected, this tutorial will get you right into your source.

44. Best Practices: Cross-Platform Documentation

Documentation is a very necessary evil, and as systems become more complex, consistent documentation becomes even more important.

45. Introducing the New RPG Developer

The new RPG language is not your father's RPG, and the industry needs a new publication devoted to this new language and to the new generation of programmers using it.

46. Legacy Maintenance: Evaluating and Documenting Business Rules in Legacy Code

Have you ever seen a project plan with "a miracle occurs here" in the middle? Extracting business rules is tough, but you can start with documentation.

47. WDSC Basics, Volume 1, Number 2: Creating and Verifying a System i Connection

Before you can edit your work, you need to connect to your System i host.

48. Ah, Workplace, We Hardly Knew Ye!

IBM Workplace was to be the umbrella under which all applications were developed, but in the past year, IBM has quietly discontinued nearly the entire line.

49. Package Solution Integration: Modifying Package Solutions for the System i

It's one thing to modify (or "refactor") your own code, but how do you modify code that was written by someone else?

50. TechTip: Secret Font Tricks

Anybody can change a font, but this tip will get you nearly 50 percent more lines on your screen.