blog:iseries:rdi

IBM Rational Developer for i (RDi)

Prepare to re-learn how to use software, because the RDi interface sucks.

  • There is no View menu. Instead, look in the Window menu
  • Looking for Settings/Preferences? That's in the Window menu, too.
  • Many options are poorly or vaguely named, so prepare to read the user manual just to learn how to do simple tasks.
  • The menu option “Convert all to free-form” (under the Source menu) DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
    • Correction. It displays a “Conversion complete” message, but it doesn't actually convert any code.
  • What the hell is File > Restart supposed to do?
    • Let's check the Help menu
    • Well, crap, the Help Contents includes the programming references for RPG, Java, JavaScript, and a bunch of other junk. So, searching for restart brings up 72 hits
    • Wait, there's a “scope” option. Maybe that will narrow down the search. Nope, that's empty. What's this “New” button for? Let's try it. OK, I can select RPG. Nope, that only brings up one print-related hit. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to research that option later. If I have time. And if my curiosity outweighs my distaste for poorly designed software.

Reformat rpg-free code

  • Ctrl+Shift+F will sometimes re-format your RPG free-format logic.
    • it often does absolutely nothing
    • when it does work, it only works on calcs (c-specs)

Indenting existing code

  1. Alt-R (for Rectangle Selection Mode)
  2. Select the block to indent/move
  3. Alt+F7 moves left
  4. Alt+F8 moves right
  5. Alt+U deselects

Indenting existing code using tabs

  • For RPG, RDi has a silly default of just moving the cursor when tabbing
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  • blog/iseries/rdi.txt
  • Last modified: 2020/03/10 11:41
  • by tom