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RPG Ports from AS/400 to Linux?

Posted by Cliff on from the report-program-generator dept.

Spacemonkey asks: "So, IBM has finally ported Linux to run on their veritable plethora of hardware. Sounds like a real solid commitment to OSS, right? Well, the devil's in the details, however. After spending several hours searching on the Internet, I could not find one single implementation of the RPG ? environment on Linux. So IBM really wants to run Linux on their machines, but what if you want to run your AS/400 applications within the Linux space instead of OS400?"

"So now come the other questions, fast and furious:

  • Is it possible to run the RPG environment within Linux?
  • Can it be done on x86 hardware?
  • Are there any legal restrictions on doing the port?
  • If it has been done, where's the beef?
What good is running Linux on a cavalcade of hardware if you can't get to your 'native' applications? If I can get COBOL, then RPG should be just around the corner..."

5 of 38 comments (clear)

  1. Yes it is possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    RPG can be converted into COBOL using a simple Perl script; from there you can use GNU COBOL to compile it. I've done this with our businesses payroll program, now we run it on a cluster of Linux machines, we used to use an AS/400. Now we donated the AS/400 to a local school and couldn't be happier... personally I find Linux easier to use and more reliable than propetary OS400.

    1. Re:Yes it is possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      From a blurb in my email news this morning:
      A new tool called RIO (RPG Into Objects) converts RPG source to Java classes or C++ programs and includes a set of support classes that simulates functionality specific to RPG in an object riented
      (OO) kind of way. This makes learning Java or C++ easier and lets programmers retain their business logic. RIO helps you more easily enable your legacy applications for WebSphere development, e-business, or the latest technologies and rogramming techniques. You can get more information on RIO at

      http://www.asc-iseries.com/rio.htm .

  2. YES, NO, MAYBE by jackb_guppy · · Score: 2, Informative

    Look at Unibol(36/400) or Baby(36/400)...

    These software packages are "complete" OS envoriments, running under windows or unix.

    -or-

    Look at Lansa...

    Designed in the AS/400 world, look is CLish. But can deploy into client/server -- win/400, win/sql, web/400, web/sql.

    Will IBM support RPG under Lunix? My guess is no. RPG and the supported CL would all have to be supported (see above) then why not as/400 cobol, c, ... you get the idea.

    If you are wanting to leave the 400. Look at the above. If you are wanting to mix Linux into a as/400 shop: LPAR and use the best in both worlds.

  3. Re:SOL? by Cato · · Score: 5, Informative

    There's at least one RPG compiler for Linux - see http://www.californiasoftware.com/calsw/rvb_unibol 400.htm

  4. Yes there IS an RPG compiler for Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Eraserhead RPG compiles RPG/II and RPG/III code on Linux. I believe that it goes through an intermediatery language (C?) first. RPG/IV could in theory be ported, but given the high use of APIs these would need to be brought across as well. I have never actually used the compiler (all of my code is in RPG/IV) and I can't find the homepage but you can get it from tucows at http://linux.tucows.com/system/preview/7922.html Glad to see so many 400-savvy people hang out here!