RPG-Alive Documentation| Profound Logic Software

RPG-Alive is a unique tool designed to save your company a tremendous amount of time in maintaining and developing IBM i applications. It magnifies the skills of RPG programmers. With minimal investment, your company can start developing better applications a lot faster! (Back to top)

How does RPG-Alive work?

RPG-Alive helps programmers analyze and program ILE RPG (RPG IV), RPG/400, CL, and DDS code without interrupting their normal Application Development Process. It does so by enhancing the existing iSeries development environment.

Upon startup, RPG-Alive is minimized into the System Tray where it begins monitoring events in the 5250 Emulation Session. When the programmer uses native iSeries programs like IBM's Source Edit Utility (SEU) to edit or browse source code, RPG Alive helps the programmer with the analysis of the code by graphically illustrating the organization and design of the program being worked on. Because RPG-Alive performs a major part of the analysis, it gives developers the chance to concentrate on the task at hand. The end result is that developers save valuable time and make fewer errors.

In addition to providing a sophisticated self-adjusting analysis of your programming code, RPG-Alive assists by visually illustrating the syntax of the RPG/400 or ILE RPG operation you are working with. This happens automatically as you edit existing code or write new code. Special function keys allow the user to navigate the cursor through the allowable fields of an operation, to lookup context-sensitive operation definitions, and to auto-complete (or simply select) operation codes, subprocedure/subroutine names, or special keywords. (Back to top)

Is RPG-Alive easy to learn?

RPG-Alive is very easy to learn! It is easy to learn simply because visual elements are added directly into your existing IBM i environment. Since most developers already know how to use native SEU, advancing to a visually enhanced SEU environment, specifically designed for RPG programmers, requires very little (if any) additional learning. RPG-Alive helps developers in a non-intrusive, yet proactive, manner. This means there are no special commands you must take to activate RPG-Alive. Once installed, RPG-Alive is always active in helping to enhance your normal application development and debugging process. (Back to top)

Who is using RPG-Alive?

Since its introduction, RPG-Alive has immediately received worldwide attention. Thousands of developers from more than 25 different countries fell in love with the amazing capabilities of this tool. Enterprises across all industries, from small consulting firms to large billion dollar corporations, are currently using the tool to simplify their RPG development. The product is used at such companies as AAA, Computer Associates, EDS, General Electric, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kraft Foods, Pfizer, Sara Lee Corporation, Toshiba Electronics, Volvo, and Warner Brothers Publications. (Back to top)

Is RPG-Alive easy to install?

Yes. After downloading RPG-Alive, installation takes less than 1 minute. RPG-Alive starts minimized in your system tray and automatically detects your active 5250 sessions. To determine if RPG Alive is working, try displaying an RPG source member. The conditions and loops within this member will be outlined, and the comments will be highlighted. If you do not see an outline or if you experience other problems, check the Common Problems List to find your solution. (Back to top)

What are the Installation Requirements for RPG-Alive?

RPG-Alive runs on Microsoft Windows XP, NT, 2000, Vista, 7, or 8. You must have one of the following supported emulation software installed on your computer:

IBM Client Access
IBM Client Access Express

To activate RPG-Alive, you must be running 5250 display emulation session(s) connected to an IBM i. (Back to top)

What specific statements and commands does RPG-Alive examine?

RPG-Alive is aware of the syntax of all RPG/400 and ILE RPG operations. As you edit your source code, RPG-Alive will delineate required parameters in magenta, optional parameters in cyan, and length and decimal positions in yellow as shown below:

Note: To query the meaning of any operation, parameter, or indicator press Ctrl-F1.

Optionally, RPG-Alive will delineate conditioning indicators in red, the comment field in blue, and the operation extender in green:

RPG-Alive will also aid with the syntax of (D)efinition specifications, (P)rocedure specifications, and DDS source:

In addition, RPG-Alive will:

-	Match IF/ELSE/ENDIF statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG)
-	Match SELECT/WHEN/OTHER/ENDSL statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG)
-	Match DO/ENDDO statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL)
-	Match FOR/ENDFOR statements (ILE RPG)
-	Match CASE/ENDCS statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG)
-	Show upward arrow for ITER statements and downward arrow for LEAVE and LEAVESR statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG)
-	Mark CALL, CALLP, CALLPRC, CALLB, EXSR, and GOTO statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL)
-	Delimit subroutines and ILE subprocedures (RPG/400, ILE RPG)
-	Highlight the statement, command, file name, or field name involved in a Copy (C/CC/CCR), Move (M/MM/MMR), Delete (D/DD), or Repeat (RP) line operation (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL, DDS)
-	Show the insertion point of an After (A), Before (B), Insert (I), or Repeat (RP) line operation (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL, DDS)
-	Highlight Comments (RPG/400, ILE RPG, DDS)

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Will RPG-Alive work with free-format RPG?

Yes. RPG-Alive recognizes and supports free-format RPG. RPG-Alive also supports all the latest RPG operations and built-in functions. The auto-completion feature and the context-sensitive help feature will guide the developer through coding RPG in free-format.(Back to top)

Will RPG-Alive have to preprocess source members?

No. RPG-Alive uses AwareLogic™ to analyze source members Live. This makes RPG-Alive the only RPG and CL outlining tool with an ability to adjust the outline immediately as the program source is modified. RPG-Alive is able to display an instant analysis of any program without preprocessing the source and without any special action on the user's part. RPG-Alive will gradually learn about the program you are working with and track the changes you make to this program. (Back to top)

Does RPG-Alive work with DEBUG?

Yes. RPG-Alive works with DEBUG!
RPG-Alive will outline ILE RPG source code when the STRDBG or the DSPMODSRC commands are used.
RPG Alive will also outline RPG/400 source code when the STRISDB (Interactive Source Debugger) command is used.
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How can RPG-Alive be customized?

Right-click the RPG-Alive system tray icon. Then select the Settings menu:

The following settings are available to customize:

Setting	Valid Values	Description
Sampling Interval	1 50 100 250 500 750 999	Determines the interval, in milliseconds, between each time the 5250 Session is sampled. A smaller value will improve response time to the events in the 5250 Session. A higher value may improve overall system performance on slower PCs. The recommended value for this setting is 100 milliseconds.
Outline Spacing	4 6 8 10 12 14 16	Determines the blank space, in pixels, between the lines drawn to outline the structure of source code. A smaller value will place the lines closer together. A higher value will place the lines farther apart. You may change this valued directly while in SEU or in DEBUG by holding the Control Key and pressing the Plus or Minus Key on the Numeric Key Pad.
Color Intensity	High Medium Low	Determines the RGB intensity of the colors used by RPG-Alive. Higher intensity creates brighter colors.
Mark Line Commands	On Off	Examines SEU line commands. When this feature is turned on, the Copy, Move, Delete, Repeat, Before, After, and Insert line operations are marked clearly to demonstrate their effect on the source code.
Delimit Subs	On Off	Delimits subroutines and ILE subprocedures. If the subroutines or subprocedures are already clearly delimited within the source code, you may turn this feature off.
Highlight Comments	On Off	Highlights RPG, ILE, and DDS comment lines.
Outline RPG	On Off	Outlines and matches RPG and ILE Control statements.
Outline Free-Format RPG	On Off	Matches up "/Free" Format RPG Control statements within ILE RPG source members. This option may be turned off if the free-format RPG code is already properly indented.
Outline CL	On Off	Outlines and matches CL DO/ENDO statements.
Learn	On Off	Records session activity to allow outlining of structures and loops with control op codes outside of what is currently visible on the 5250 display screen.
Auto Complete	On Off	Fills the rest of your operation or keyword for you when you press Ctrl-Space.
Allow Operation Select	On Off	Enables the Ctrl-Up and Ctrl-Down keys for scrolling through the available RPG operation codes.
Allow Column Positioning	On Off	Enables the Ctrl-1, Ctrl-2, Ctrl-3, Ctrl-4, Ctrl-5, and Ctrl-6 keys. These keys position the cursor on Factor 1, Op Code, Factor 2, Result, Indicator, and Comment fields respectively.
ILE Auto Correct	On Off	Automatically corrects the case of ILE operations and keywords based on the defaults set by the user
Delineate	On Off	Delineates required and optional fields based on the type of RPG statement you are working with.
Default ILE Case	Mixed Upper Lower	Sets the default case for auto-completing, selecting, and correcting ILE operations and keywords.
Auto Complete Dictionary	...	Allows the user to maintain a list of ILE and OPM auto-completion keywords.
Auto-Start	On Off	Starts RPG-Alive automatically when you log on to Windows.

Click Restore Defaults to restore to the original RPG-Alive settings. (Back to top)

RPG-Alive Hot Keys

Key	Description
Ctrl-F1	Displays a context-sensitive definition of a built-in function or of an operation and its parameters. To switch between the type of information you are viewing, simply click on the appropriate link (Factor1, Op, Factor2, Result, HI, LO, EQ). Also allows to modify the definitions and operation settings for auto-completing and auto-selecting.
Ctrl-Space	Navigates the cursor through the fields delineated by RPG Alive (i.e. Factor 1, Factor 2, Result, etc.) If there is no valid operation on the current line, the cursor is placed on the operation code. Auto-Completes RPG operations, built-in functions, and special keywords. In CL and in DDS, the Ctrl-Space hot key tabs the cursor through the Commands, Parameters, and Functions located on the current line.
Ctrl-Shift-Space or Ctrl-Backspace	Back-Tabs the cursor through the fields delineated by RPG Alive.
Numeric Keypad Ctrl-Minus Ctrl-Plus	Used to Decrease (Ctrl-Minus) or Increase (Ctrl-Plus) Outline Spacing.
Ctrl-Up Ctrl-Down	Used to select and scroll through the available RPG operations. The cursor must be on the Operation or on the beginning of Factor 2.
Ctrl-H	Toggles (hides or displays) the RPG outline.
Ctrl-1 Ctrl-2 Ctrl-3 Ctrl-4 Ctrl-5 Ctrl-6	Places the cursor on Factor 1. Places the cursor on the Operation. Places the cursor on Factor 2. Places the cursor on the Result. Places the cursor on the Indicators. Places the cursor on the Comment.

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Does RPG-Alive work in 27x132 Mode?

Yes. RPG-Alive supports all modes. (Back to top)

Does RPG-Alive analyze additional browse members?

Yes. RPG Alive will analyze the main source member and the additional browse member if one is present. The source members do not have to be the same type of source. (Back to top)

Can RPG-Alive analyze deeply nested source code that spans many screens/pages?

Yes. If the Learn option is turned on, RPG-Alive will outline all structures currently visible on the screen plus any additional structures, which were outlined previously. If the Learn option is turned off, RPG-Alive will outline a particular structure or loop only if at least one of its control op codes is currently visible on the 5250 display screen. You may also produce an outline of the entire program by using the RPG-Alive Indenter. RPG-Alive Indenter is a separate product that you will receive free when you purchase an RPG-Alive license. (Back to top)

How do I make best use of the Learn option?

The following are some things to keep in mind:
- Your Input Inhibitor needs to be off for at least one tenth of a second to enable learning.
- If you are paging up or down too fast, you may not be allowing enough time for RPG-Alive to learn.
- Whatever is learned will be forgotten when you exit SEU or DEBUG.
- Resequencing line numbers on exit is not necessary but is recommended. In certain situations, resequencing line numbers may enable RPG-Alive to learn faster about the program you are working with.
- In general, Learning works better with Half-Page-Roll than with Full-Page-Roll. The smaller the Roll the better RPG-Alive learns.
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Can I print the RPG-Alive outline?

Yes. When you register RPG-Alive, you will receive an additional free product called the RPG-Alive Indenter. RPG-Alive Indenter will allow you to print an indented outline of your RPG Code. (Back to top)

Common Problems List

Problem:

I am running a 5250 display session.
I am using SEU to browse or edit source code.
None of the statements in my source code are outlined. What is the problem?

Solution:

Try upgrading to a later version of RPG-Alive.

Problem

RPG-Alive erases the contents of my source code. I have to press F5 (or some other function key) to get the information to come back.

Solution:

RPG-Alive works best with default color mapping. You may use most other colors; however, certain colors are reserved for use by RPG-Alive. If you are using Client Access, please do not use the brightest color in a spectrum in your color settings. Instead, use the next brightest color. For example, if you are using the brightest green for your text, please select the next brightest green. Visually, the difference will be minimal, but RPG-Alive will be compatible with this color selection.

Problem:

My IBM i language is not English. RPG-Alive is not working.

Solution:

You will need to update RPG-Alive for your language. Click here.

Problem:

I get a File Not Found Error Message.

Solution

RPG-Alive makes use of the PCSHLL32.DLL provided with IBM i Access for Windows. RPG-Alive first looks in your Autoexec.bat PATH folders to locate it. If this attempt fails, it tries to look for it in the default installation location:

C:\Program Files\IBM\Client Access\Emulator\PCSHLL32.DLL

A 'File Not Found' Error Message is generated if neither attempt successfully locates the needed DLL.

If your PCSHLL32.DLL file is not in the default folder as shown above, you should find the file on your PC, and then enter the File's Folder Path when asked for it by RPG-Alive.

Problems not mentioned in this list can be resolved through tech support. (Back to top)

Customer Success

Krish T., Manhattan Associates