System iNetwork

September 30, 2004

It requires determination.

Don't start your journey with the expectation that WDSC is PDM with a pretty face. You'll be disappointed. Instead, be determined that you will be able to generate code, debug, and compile your programs. Be determined enough to flounder around for a while in menu bars, drop downs and context menus until you find the option you are looking for. You will learn a whole lot just looking around for the option you need.

Be determined to give yourself time to learn to use the new tool properly. If your first project in WDSC is one with a tight deadline, you're likely going to be frustrated.

Submit a compile of a simple "hello world" program. If you were fortunate enough to make an error, the error listing will indicate that to you. Select the error, watch your cursor. No, it's not PDM.

Soon you will need to enter some iSeries commands, maybe nothing more than EDTLIBL. A little trial and frustration and you find how to do this without going green screen. Things start falling in place but it takes determination to stay the course.

After a few days of "flying solo", read some of the documentation and examples available various places. This helps give you the warm feeling that you are doing things properly or may give insight to a different and better way of performing a task.

Take a piece of paper and divide it in two columns. First column is a list of functions you can do in PDM that you can't in WDSC. Second column is a list of things you can do in WDSC and not PDM. My list started out with slightly more items under column two even though I only used WDSC a few days. Soon, I was removing items from column one as I learned how to it in WDSC. My columns remained static for a while until I learned about User Actions. I really started to clean up column one after that. I found I can tailor WDSC for the current project I am working on or for my global settings. I can make it work the best way for me.

My initial thoughts were those of how slow I was in getting anything done. I'm improving now by learning ways to keep frequently needed tasks available through the remote system explorer and user actions.

I'm getting more comfortable with it daily but it does require determination.

Posted by at September 30, 2004 10:25 PM