#rpgle

DISCLAIMER: This is not my usual style of programming video. It’s long format, lots of me muttering at the camera while trying to fix some RPG code. I started recording with no idea if it would work or not. Spoiler – it did in the end. Also featuring an AI generated video, a growling version of me with fantastically lunatic hair. If you are a new programmer, or maybe considering a career in IBM-i…

Hey there, fellow IBM i RPG Nerds. I was revisiting a couple of old posts about source code commenting and compile directives and it got me thinking about these marvelous, often overlooked features of IBM-i source code. Today, let’s dive into RPG compiler directives! If you have ever stared at a mile-long compiler listing wondering why it looks like it was formatted by a sleep-deprived robot,…

If you have ever stared at a dusty fixed-format RPG III program from the 1990s and thought “there has to be a better way”, then IBM’s latest AI-powered sidekick might just be your new best friend. Meet IBM BOB (yes, that’s the official name now – Project Bob has grown up). BOB is IBM’s AI-first development partner, built right into a VS Code based IDE and tuned specifically for IBM i workloads.…

Let’s talk about something that can seriously boost your programming productivity: split screen editing in Visual Studio Code. If you’re like most IBM i programmers, you’re probably used to alt-tabbing between files. But VS Code’s split screen functionality? It’s a game-changer. Why Should You Care About Split Screen? In my years of programming on AS400, iSERIES and IBM i systems, I’ve noticed…

If you’re diving into the world of IBM i programming and stumbled across the term ERRHDLR, you might be scratching your head wondering what it is. I was playing with an SQL Data Encryption routine earlier today and saw a code sample referencing ERRHDLR. “What is that?” I thought. After much time digging through the IBM-i (this page intentionally left blank) documentation and community chats, I…

If you’ve ever stared at a wall of fixed-format RPG code and thought, “This looks like it was written by a medieval monk with a ruler and quill,” then welcome to my world. I’ve spent far too many hours squinting at columns, indicators, and op codes that look like they were designed to test patience rather than logic. Thankfully, RPG has evolved, and RPGLE free-format is the shiny new sword we get…

Welcome to the latest chapter of my IBM i RPGLE Operation Codes Guide. In my ongoing mission to document and clarify the wonderful IBM RPGLE language for new programmers, students and established old-school programmers looking for new styles of code (who says old dogs cant learn new tricks?!) I’m taking the IBM RPG Operation Codes and documenting them in the simplest way I can think of — listing…

In the ever-evolving world of programming, some languages stand the test of time by blending reliability with innovation. RPGLE (RPG for ILE, or Integrated Language Environment) is one such language, particularly for IBM i developers who have evolved through the older generations of this machine (AS/400 and iSERIES). Originally introduced to modernize the classic RPG, RPGLE ILE has transformed…