Re: [GNU-COBOL] Re: Global files issues moot

[Laura Tweedy <tweedy@umr.edu>]

Chad Slaughter (slaught@umr.edu) wrote:>
> 
> >Second, regardless of whether this is the correct behavior, it doesn't
> >make the issue moot; it just puts more time between now and when the
> >issue has to be resolved, and that's a poor excuse to stop discussing
> >it.
> 
> Well, that is the point. Why spend time now for soemthing we don't need 
> right now? Becuase we *might* need it in the future?? I don't think so.

I apologize for the lack of well defined interfaces to write to.  I have been 
told and have observed that such a document would be highly desireable.  
Issues like error codes and constants *can* wait until such documents are 
written.  I am relying on people to work with vague guidelines until things
like error code definitions can be worked out.  If this is unacceptable, I
have no problem with people ceasing work until then; I know that working with
vague requirements can be very frustrating.

> How about we just write up the opinions of everyone. Save them in
> a design doc. When the issue comes up b/c someone needs it, we'll
> talk about it then. I am not going to discuss the issue until its 
> needed. I don't have time to argue about things that aren't needed.
> 
Yes.  Issues of overall design should be noted and used to create standards
when the time comes.  This time will be sometime after Thanksgiving as I have
lots of papers and tests between now and then.  Sorry. :)

> >The issue, for those who weren't involved, was this:  It was suggested
> >that the IO runtime should use assertions to ensure that the length
> 
> And this suggestion was determined to be wrong!

The length of variables is constrained by the Cobol language to be 1-160 for
strings and 1-30 for numbers (right, Glen?).  All length issues will be
caught by the parser.

I know that this is an important design issue, but it's not a decision I'm
willing to make right now; I don't have all the facts about the runtime
libraries and their expected interactions, etc.  

Summary:  Sorry for the lack of design documents.  The documents will be
ready after Thanksgiving.  If you don't feel that you can go any further in
the code without the documents, stop coding, and that's okay.

No worries.
laura
-- 
   .. Laura Tweedy .. tweedy@umr.edu ..
"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

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