This document gives examples on how to redesign the extracted interface. It covers the following topics:
This example turns the CALC server into an ADD server. The CALC server
used here can be found in Basic RPC Server Examples - CALC, SQUARE under Client and Server Examples for Natural in the Natural Wrapper documentation.
****************************************************************
*
* CALC RPC Server Example for Natural
*
****************************************************************
DEFINE DATA
PARAMETER
1 #OPERATION (A1)
1 #OPERAND1 (I4)
1 #OPERAND2 (I4)
1 #FUNCTION-RESULT (I4)
LOCAL
1 #TMP (I4)
END-DEFINE
*
MOVE 0 TO #FUNCTION-RESULT
DECIDE ON FIRST VALUE OF #OPERATION
VALUE '+'
COMPUTE #FUNCTION-RESULT = #OPERAND1 + #OPERAND2
VALUE '-'
COMPUTE #FUNCTION-RESULT = #OPERAND1 - #OPERAND2
VALUE '*'
COMPUTE #FUNCTION-RESULT = #OPERAND1 * #OPERAND2
VALUE '/'
IF #OPERAND2 NE 0 THEN
COMPUTE #FUNCTION-RESULT = #OPERAND1 / #OPERAND2
END-IF
VALUE '%'
IF #OPERAND2 NE 0 THEN
DIVIDE #OPERAND2 INTO #OPERAND1 GIVING #TMP
REMAINDER #FUNCTION-RESULT
END-IF
NONE VALUE
IGNORE
END-DECIDE
END
Extraction without a redesign leads to an interface (IDL program) in which extracted parameters and Natural subprogram parameters are identical:
Library 'EXAMPLE' Is
Program 'CALC' Is
Define Data Parameter
1 Operation (A1) In
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Calling such an interface with an RPC client means providing the ADD function as a value on the operation parameter in the same way legacy callers do.
After the redesign, the IDL looks as follows:
Library 'EXAMPLE' Is
Program 'ADD' Is
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
This process is called "Redesigning the interface", which can be seen as manual step in the overall extraction process. See Step 6: Redesign the Interface for Natural Subprograms (Optional).
Setting parameters to constant values and suppressing them in the IDL is often done together with multiple interfaces, where the function code or operation-code field has to be set to a constant. See An Example for Extracting Multiple Interfaces for a more advanced example.
To Redesign the interface and to set a constant for the parameter
operation
Make sure to check Redesign the interfaces in Step 5: Select Natural Subprograms from RPC Environment.
In Step 6: Redesign the Interface for Natural Subprograms (Optional), proceed as follows:
Choose for parameter Operation and enter "+" as value.
Choose from the toolbar and change the name to "ADD".
Multiple functions are often implemented in a single Natural subprogram, for example in An Example for Set Constant. The CALC server implements the functions ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE and MODULO in one source.
Extraction without a redesign leads to an interface (IDL program) in which extracted parameters and Natural subprogram parameters are identical:
Library 'EXAMPLE' Is
Program 'CALC' Is
Define Data Parameter
1 Operation (A1) In
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Calling such an interface with an RPC client means providing the function (ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE or MODULO) as a value on the operation parameter in the same way legacy callers do.
The interface above would
result in a class with a single method if it was wrapped with an object-oriented wrapper (Java Wrapper, .NET Wrapper, DCOM Wrapper).
offer CALC as only operation if it was used as web service.
A modern design of the same interface would provide more specialized
interfaces. Each interface may have fewer parameters compared to the original
Natural subprogram. Parameters that are obsolete for a function are not
offered in the corresponding interface, for example the parameter
Operation in our example. This keeps the interface lean and clear and
makes it easier to use from the perspective of
an RPC client.
This process is called "Redesigning the interface", which can be seen as manual step in the overall extraction process. See Step 6: Redesign the Interface for Natural Subprograms (Optional).
After the redesign, the IDL looks as follows:
Library 'EXAMPLE' Is
Program 'ADD' Is
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Program 'SUBTRACT'
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Program 'MULTIPLY'
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Program 'DIVIDE'
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
Program 'MODULO'
Define Data Parameter
1 Operand1 (I4) In
1 Operand2 (I4) In
1 Function_Result (I4) Out
End-Define
By redesigning the interface you can turn the legacy interface of the CALC server into a more modern, object-oriented interface. In case the redesigned interface above is wrapped
with an object-oriented wrapper (Java Wrapper,
.NET Wrapper, DCOM Wrapper), this results in a class with
five methods - ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVDE and MODULO, a real class/method
design.
as web service, also five operations are offered.
To Redesign the interface and extract multiple interfaces
Make sure to check Redesign the interfaces in Step 5: Select Natural Subprograms from RPC Environment in the extractor wizard (see Extracting Software AG IDL File from an Existing Natural RPC Environment).
In Step 6: Redesign the Interface for Natural Subprograms (Optional), proceed as follows:
Choose Set Constant for parameter Operation and enter '+' as value.
Choose Rename from the toolbar and change
the name to ADD
Choose Set Constant for parameter Operation and enter '-' as value.
Choose Rename from the toolbar and change the name to SUBTRACT
Enter '*' as value for Operation and rename
it to MULTIPLY.
Enter '/' as value for Operation and rename
it to DIVIDE.
Enter '%' as value for Operation and rename
it to MODULO.
REDEFINEs are often used in Natural. The example below illustrates a
simple redefinition where the parameter #BASE-FIELD is
redefined by the fields FILLER-1 thru R-P3-01.
DEFINE DATA PARAMETER 1 #BASE-FIELD (A161) /* first parameter 1 REDEFINE #BASE-FIELD /* second parameter 2 FILLER-1 (A4) 2 FILLER-2 (A60) 2 R-P1-01 (A1) 2 R-P2-01 (A10) 2 R-P3-01 (I4) END-DEFINE
You can select a single REDEFINE path of the same base field for one
interface only. If you require more than one REDEFINE path of the same base
field, extract multiple interfaces - for each REDEFINE path a separate
interface, see An Example for Extracting Multiple Interfaces.
To redesign the interface and extract a REDEFINE path
Choose , or either for
the REDEFINE base parameter, here parameter
#BASE-FIELD (A161) /* first parameter, or
any REDEFINE path, here
REDEFINE#BASE-FIELD /* second parameter