Real life complaining.

So I had to spend this morning doing drudge work programming. The kind where the simplest and fastest way to do something requires you to type the same line over and over and over(simplification). Basically I had 10 different files.. that needed some(not all) of their fields converted to text and then FTP'd. With no way to read the files and get a list of their fields I couldn't implement a do loop. So I had to resort to:

Do until EOF;
Read record;
o_Field1 = i_field1;
o_Field2 = i_field2;
o_Field3 = i_field3;
o_Field4 = i_field4;
....
o_Field100 = i_field100;
write record in outgoing file;
enddo;

............but again because each file had different fields with different lengths and I had to define the outgoing files and make certain they looked the way my dear customer arbitrarily wanted them to when they were finished. So I also did a lot of: "Oh bother I need to move that column over two spaces to the left. [change one digit in program][recompile dds][recompile rpgle]"

This is not fun. Its like doing huge piles of arithmetic just because. Now, I have a program I've 'adopted' from someone else at my workplace that will recompile the rpgle and dds on the fly based on the input file. But it is -really- easily broken because they didn't take the time to stress test it(at all) and I stopped using it because my customer kept breaking it and I was losing his confidence/happiness. And at this point in the game I don't have a strong enough grasp of API's and prototypes to write my own. So I went with the retarded way of doing things because well... it was simpler and I could guarantee it wouldn't break. Even I hate how it looks.

I wish I wish I had the opportunity to take a few classes on Advanced RPG programing. And all I've had is corporate classes that are aimed at ops people who don't have a clue about programming. My problem is I'm easily bored and inherently lazy. If I wasn't I would be able to sit through a class aimed at newbies and actually -learn- things. As it is... I tune out and probably am missing everything I am really wanting to learn.

And learning from books? Bleh. I read for entertainment, or for syntax. But I'm starting to dread that I'll have to just sit down and lock myself into a room with a few RPG books and study until I learn or die.

Well anyways that is done now and the customer said he'll check today and tell me tomorrow how it runs. So I should know something by June.

But all this brings up a thought. I don't like learning how to use computer applications. If someone asks me about one I bluff and run. I like programming from a problem solving perspective and HATE it from a "learning all the syntax and phraseology" perspective. I am a failing nerd. I prefer to explain things in 'banker' speak(ie: 2year old level) and get frustrated when people use arcane termanology. These are not good traits in a programmer analyst. At least I don't think so.

Jeff Foxworthy of redneck fame worked for IBM for 5 years and then quit to become a standup comic. He only made 8 grand the first year. My very first thought was wow I wish I had -anything- I enjoyed well enought to quit for.

Oh gah! The emo has taken over. I'm going to leave it and run. Please forgive this temporary splurge into RL and frustration.

Dammerung

p.s.


Poxic Bank tab is purchased but Wulfa reports that there are some authority issues and not everyone is able to access the tab. Not even to deposit. I plan to log on tonight and fix this as soon as possible.