Profound Logic Updates RPG Editor

by Alex Woodie

Profound Logic recently launched a new release of RPG-Alive GUI, its Windows-based RPG editor. With version 4.3, the Dayton, Ohio, company has added a number of enhancements, including new Intellisense features, source line date support, indented source printouts, an improved repository, PC-to-iSeries synchronization options, change management exit points, and code bookmarks for navigating through RPG programs.

RPG-Alive GUI is the PC version of Profound Logic's popular RPG-Alive code editor, and enables developers to write and maintain RPG ILE programs without being connected to an iSeries. The software brings developers some handy features, such as access to dynamic code snippets, a searchable database repository, RPG help text, and intelligent prompters for CL and RPG code. IBM's RPG, CL, and DDS compilers are integrated into the RPG-Alive GUI environment, enabling developers to troubleshoot their programs from their desktop.

With RPG-Alive GUI version 4.3, profound Logic says it has enhanced its Intellisense feature, which automatically suggests and will complete lines of code based on the first few characters typed by a programmer. With the new release, the tip suggested by the software will move along the line as the developer types, and the program will also highlight the parameter as it's being typed.

Profound Logic has also developed a special handler program for storing and tracking change dates for every line of code. This special handler program was needed because FTP on the iSeries was unable to successfully transmit the date change information as source code is moved between the iSeries and the PC used by RPG-Alive GUI. Now programmers can feel confident the "last change date" will appear when they press F8 from the RPG-Alive GUI editor.

Programmers who like to print their source code will be pleased to hear RPG-Alive GUI now includes support for indented source on printouts. Profound Logic previously offered a free server-based tool called RPG-Alive Indenter that would indent the source code, according to its structure. However, because this software only ran on the server, it didn't do much for programmers writing code off-line with RPG-Alive GUI. Instead of porting RPG-Alive Indenter, Profound Logic went one better and re-created the functionality for the client. Developers can now indent their code on the fly, and gain a print preview function, too.

RPG-Alive GUI version 4.3 also sports an improved repository that allows developers to look up iSeries database information and insert database field names directly into code with a single click of a button. Users also gain the capability to search for fields by field name, description, and type.

Road warriors will benefit from new PC-to-iSeries synchronization options that debut with this release. Now, developers can store source member files on a PC, and then synchronize them to the iSeries with a single click of a button. The information about where to save the file on the iSeries, as well as source member description and type, is stored as comments at the top of the member, Profound says.

Developers can keep from stepping on each others' toes thanks to new change management capability within RPG-Alive GUI. New exit points enable RPG-Alive GUI to issue a call to just about any change management system (even custom-written ones, Profound says) at any point during the save, open, or compile process, and to display messages back to the RPG-Alive GUI user. This feature, which is only available when connected to the server, can be used to prevent a developer from accessing a particular library if it's already been checked out by another developer.

Finally, the new bookmarks feature in RPG-Alive GUI will help developers navigate to specific areas of their programs by placing bookmarks, or placeholders, throughout the programs. Developers can set and clear bookmarks on any line in the program, and will be automatically brought back to a certain area using the find function.

RPG-Alive GUI version 4.3 is available now. The software is licensed on a per-server basis, and an unlimited number of clients can support each server. Pricing is tier-based, with an average cost of $1,500, the company says. For more information, visit www.profoundlogic.com.