What is RPG-Alive?
How does RPG-Alive work?
Is RPG-Alive easy to learn?
Who is using RPG-Alive?
Is RPG-Alive easy to install?
What are the Installation Requirements for RPG-Alive?
What specific statements and commands does RPG-Alive examine?
Will RPG-Alive work with free-format RPG?
Will RPG-Alive have to preprocess source members?
Does RPG-Alive work with DEBUG?
How can RPG-Alive be customized?
RPG-Alive Hot Keys
Does RPG-Alive work in 27x132 Mode?
Does RPG-Alive analyze additional browse members?
Can RPG-Alive analyze deeply nested source code that spans many screens/pages?
How do I make best use of the Learn option?
Can I print the RPG-Alive outline?
Common Problems List
How many times can I download and install RPG-Alive?
How do I register RPG-Alive?
How do I look up my Registration Id Number?
What is RPG-Alive?
RPG-Alive is a unique
tool designed to save your company a tremendous amount of time in maintaining and
developing AS400, iSeries, and System i applications. It magnifies the skills of RPG
programmers. With minimal investment, your company can start developing better
applications a lot faster!
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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.
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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 iSeries (AS/400) 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.
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Who is using RPG-Alive?
Since its introduction, RPG-Alive has immediately received worldwide attention. Thousands of developers from
more than 40 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. To view a select list of
our customers, please visit our testimonials page.
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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.
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What are the Installation Requirements for RPG-Alive?
RPG-Alive runs on Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, XP, NT, or 2000. You must have one of the following supported emulation software installed on your computer:
- IBM Client Access
- IBM Client Access Express
- NetManage RUMBA
- WRQ Reflection
- Synapse IP Client (also known as WinAppc or Winner)
- BOSâNOVA
To activate RPG-Alive, you must be running 5250 display emulation session(s) connected to an iSeries (AS/400).
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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:
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Match IF/ELSE/ENDIF statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG) illustration |
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Match SELECT/WHEN/OTHER/ENDSL statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG) illustration |
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Match DO/ENDDO statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL) illustration |
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Match FOR/ENDFOR statements (ILE RPG) illustration |
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Match CASE/ENDCS statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG) illustration |
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Show upward arrow for ITER statements and downward arrow for LEAVE and LEAVESR statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG) illustration |
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Mark CALL, CALLP, CALLPRC, CALLB, EXSR, and GOTO statements (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL) illustration |
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Delimit subroutines and ILE subprocedures (RPG/400, ILE RPG) illustration |
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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) illustration |
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Show the insertion point of an After (A), Before (B), Insert (I), or Repeat (RP) line operation (RPG/400, ILE RPG, CL, DDS) illustration |
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Highlight Comments (RPG/400, ILE RPG, DDS) illustration |
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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.
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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.
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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. illustration
RPG Alive will also outline RPG/400 source code when the STRISDB (Interactive Source
Debugger) command is used. illustration
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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 | Illustrations |
| 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. | N/A |
| 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. | View |
| Color Intensity | High Medium Low |
Determines the RGB intensity of the colors used by RPG-Alive. Higher intensity creates brighter colors. | View |
| 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. | View |
| Delimit Subs | On Off |
Delimitssubroutines and ILE subprocedures. If the subroutines or subprocedures are already clearly delimited within the source code, you may turn this feature off. | View |
| Highlight Comments | On Off |
Highlights RPG, ILE, and DDS comment lines. | View |
| Outline RPG | On Off |
Outlines and matches RPG and ILE Control statements. | View |
| 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. | View |
| Outline CL | On Off |
Outlines and matches CL DO/ENDO statements. | View |
| 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. | View |
| Auto Complete | On Off |
Fills the rest of your operation or keyword for you when you press Ctrl-Space. | View |
| Allow Operation Select | On Off |
Enables the Ctrl-Up and Ctrl-Down keys for scrolling through the available RPG operation codes. | View |
| 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. | N/A |
| ILE Auto Correct | On Off |
Automatically corrects the case of ILE operations and keywords based on the defaults set by the user | View |
| Delineate | On Off |
Delineates required and optional fields based on the type of RPG statement you are working with. | View |
| Default ILE Case | Mixed Upper Lower |
Sets the default case for auto-completing, selecting, and correcting ILE operations and keywords. | N/A |
| Auto Complete Dictionary | ... | Allows the user to maintain a list of ILE and OPM auto-completion keywords. | View |
| Auto-Start | On Off |
Starts RPG-Alive automatically when you log on to Windows. | N/A |
Click Restore Defaults to restore to the original RPG-Alive settings.
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RPG-Alive Hot Keys
| Key | Description | Illustrations |
| 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 you to modify the definitions and operation settings for auto-completing and auto-selecting. |
View |
| 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. |
N/A |
| Ctrl-Shift-Space or Ctrl-Backspace | Back-Tabs the cursor through the fields delineated by RPG Alive. | N/A |
| Numeric Keypad Ctrl-Minus Ctrl-Plus |
Used to Decrease (Ctrl-Minus) or Increase (Ctrl-Plus) Outline Spacing. | View |
| 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. | View |
| Ctrl-A (or Ctrl-D in the RUMBA Edition) | Toggles delineation of all fields including conditioning indicators and the comment field regardless of settings. | View |
| Ctrl-H | Toggles (hides or displays) the RPG outline. |
N/A |
| Ctrl-1 Ctrl-2 Ctrl-3 Ctrl-4 Ctrl-5 Ctrl-6 |
Places the cursoron 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. |
N/A |
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Does RPG-Alive work in 27x132 Mode?
Yes. RPG-Alive supports all modes.
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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. illustration
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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. illustration You may also produce an outline of the entire program by
using the RPG-Alive Indenter. illustration RPG-Alive Indenter is a separate product that you will
receive free when you purchase an RPG-Alive license.
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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. illustration
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Common Problems List
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Problems not mentioned in this list can be resolved through tech support.
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How many times can I download and install RPG-Alive?
There is no restriction on how many times you download RPG-Alive or the RPG Alive Registration Executable
program. However, please remember that you may use RPG-Alive in trial mode for no
longer than 30 days on any individual PC. In fully licensed mode, RPG-Alive may only be
used on those AS/400 or iSeries 400 machine(s) for which the license was purchased.
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How do I register RPG-Alive?
After you have downloaded the trial version of RPG-Alive, upgrading to a fully
licensed version is easy. You will download a Registration Program, which will ask you
for a Confirmation Key Number. illustration.
This number will be issued to you upon receipt of payment.
Click here if you are ready to place an order now.
For more information about Registration and Pricing, click
here.
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How do I look up my Registration Id Number?
Right-click the RPG-Alive system tray icon. Then select About. Your Registration ID Number will
appear in red at the bottom of the Licensing Information frame.
illustration
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