When Peoplebooks Is Not Enough
What is the relationship between SQR and Application Engine? Is one better or are they complementary? They are both frameworks for batch processing in the Peoplesoft environment. As such, they must have overlapping functionality. Like Star Trek and Star Wars, they each have fans and detractors, with not always rational reasons for their preferences.
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Peoplesoft HCM (HR, BA, PR, and TL) comes with at least 1300 run control records, yet my organization has added 2% more over the past ten years. We’re not running out of table space or disk space, but we probably did more work than we needed; creating new records, tables, and pages. For that matter, Oracle probably did more work than they needed, not reusing their run control objects.
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By now, I’m back from vacation, but I didn’t write anything while I was gone. I’ll have a new article next week.
I’ve been thinking about my blog. While spending almost a year writing about SQR, I’ve collected a list of topics relating to SQL, Peopletools, and Peoplesoft HCM that I want to discuss. I assume most of my readers work in those areas too. I may begin a new blog on those subjects in the new year, and I hope you’ll join me. I would update this blog occasionally, but I’ve already said most of what I want to say about SQR.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on an exciting Peopletools / Peoplecode project. It’s hard to focus on SQR. I’ve also been distracted by my upcoming vacation. The result? I haven’t had time to create a new SQR entry for this week. I’ve got several essays in progress:
So, please reread my older entries while I’m away. You haven’t memorized them yet, have you?
Even batch programs have user interfaces. They start with actual or implied inputs (run control parameters in Peoplesoft). They end with actual or implied outputs (reports, log files, Process Monitor messages). We shouldn’t take these elements of program design for granted, even in the simplest programs.
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It seems appropriate to talk about masks with Halloween coming. More powerful than trick-or-treat facewear, SQR masks can format numbers, analyze dates, and precisely extract characters from strings. Boo!
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Modern office processes are usually a combination of manual, semi-automated, and automated operations. SQR programmers often contribute software to these processes, but our customers don’t always tell us enough about their processes for us to make the best possible contribution. We can classify some of our work into a hierarchy of solutions.
Continue reading ‘A Hierarchy Of Data Processing Solutions’ »
The SQR language has several families of built-in functions. They range from minor conveniences to potential life savers. There are some surprising inclusions and surprising omissions. I discuss some of the functions I wish we had in An SQR Wish List.
Last week I paid tribute to Elements of Style. The lesson from that book that impressed me most was to simplify my prose; minimize adjectives and adverbs; replace clichéd phrases with single words; avoid passive voice and inverted sentences; be terse and direct. I recommend the same for programming.
Elements of Style is the famous book by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White. First written in 1918, it is a guide to writing well in American English. Anything good about the prose on this blog should be credited to Strunk & White. The flaws must be ascribed to me. This week’s blog entry is dedicated to that short book.
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