PHD

[eric_therrien@cgtx.ca]

As for the "unexplained" down time, at my last client, they compiled all there
programm to a specific group (under MPE). They had a V0 and V1 group to do so,
if the V0 was use by the users as the current production group, they compiled to
the V1 group and then switched the home group for all the user to the V1 group,
therfore avoiding any down time. If a user needed the new fonctionality, we
would tell them to logout and login, therefore login in the new group i.e. the
new version... without disturbing anyone. If not, they would switch when ever
they would get out, usually the next day.

I think it's really a great way to do it, while keeping a professional quality
to our work i.e. not doing any unnecessary down time that would frustrate the
user. I try to implement it everywhere I work now. I don<t know for any other
environnement then MPE, but I guess something similar could be achived. That
technic can also be use to revert back to a previous version if anything goes
wrong... Not that it ever did ;-) God forbid!


Eric Therrien, Analyst-programmer, IT

-----Original Message-----
From:   "Deskin  Bob" <Bob.Deskin@Cognos.COM> 
Sent:   Thursday, November 19, 1998 7:06 AM
To:     powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
Subject:        RE: PHD 

Please see my other response on this subject. In addition, if you have 1000
screens and you obsolete 1 item, I can see not wanting to recompile.
Especially if the item didn't have SELECT values or anything else I care
about. If you got away with not recompiling in PhD, you'll also get away
with not recompiling in PDL. I do question going through lots of changes and
continually having to select which programs you compile and don't compile.
Hopefully everything gets recompiled from time to time to ensure
consistency.

Since PDL is compiled (like QUICK), you can't recompile while it's in use.
However, you can recompile to a temp location and slip the new one in during
your daily backups when no one's on the system. Or during the "unexplained"
5 minute down-time.

Bob Deskin              
Senior Product Advisor  bob.deskin@cognos.com
Cognos Inc.             (613) 738-1338 ext 4205 FAX: (613) 228-3149
3755 Riverside Drive P.O. Box 9707 Stn. T, Ottawa ON K1G 4K9 CANADA


> ----------
> From:         Chris Sharman[SMTP:Chris.Sharman@ccagroup.co.uk]
> Sent:         November 19, 1998 3:42 AM
> To:   Bob.Deskin@cognos.com
> Cc:   Chris.Sharman@ccagroup.co.uk; powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
> Subject:      RE: PHD
> 
> >PhD and PDL are the same regarding when you must recompile screens,
> reports,
> >and runs. If you add or change a file to a PhD dictionary (via the
> >appropriate screen), or to a PDL dictionary (by adding the syntax and
> >recompiling the dictionary), you still have to recompile any screens,
> >reports, and runs that use that file.
> >
> >In your example of adding an item to an existing file, you would have to
> >recompile any screen, report, or run that used that file. And again, this
> is
> >no different for PhD or PDL.
> 
> This isn't true: changes that don't affect the length of records don't
> require a recompile. If a field becomes obsolete, and I rename it to
> obsolete-garbage, I don't have to recompile anything that wasn't using it.
> When I reuse it, again I don't have to recompile anything which doesn't
> use it.
> This saves a lot of work, and hopefully will still be the case with PDL,
> even with a full re-compile from source.
> 
> Someone mentioned that you can't PDL a dictionary while it's in use: I
> think
> that's why we never use it.
> 
> If PHD is getting dumped, how about putting the sources in the public
> domain,
> with appropriate disclaimers. That way those of us really fond of it can
> put
> the work in to keep it going as freeware.
> ______________________________________________________________________
> Chris Sharman                 Chris.Sharman@CCAgroup.co.uk
> CCA Stationery Ltd, Eastway, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9WS.
> 
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