In ILE, program creation consists of:
You can create a program object much like you do in the OPM framework, with a one-step process using the Create Bound RPG Program (CRTBNDRPG) command. This command creates a temporary module which is then bound into a program object. It also allows you to bind other objects through the use of a binding directory.
Alternatively, you may create a program using separate commands for compilation and binding. This two-step process allows you to reuse a module or update one module without recompiling the other modules in a program. In addition, because you can combine modules from any ILE language, you can create and maintain mixed-language programs.
In the two-step process, you create a module object using the Create RPG Module (CRTRPGMOD) command. This command compiles the source statements into a module object. A module is a nonrunnable object; it must be bound into a program object to be run. To bind one or more modules together, use the Create Program (CRTPGM) command.
Service programs are a means of packaging the procedures in one or more modules into a separately bound object. Other ILE programs can access the procedures in the service program, although there is only one copy of the service program on the system. The use of service programs facilitates modularity and maintainability. You can use off-the-shelf service programs developed by third parties or, conversely, package your own service programs for third-party use. A service program is created using the Create Service Program (CRTSRVPGM) command.
You can create a binding directory to contain the names of modules and service programs that your program or service program may need. A list of binding directories can be specified when you create a program on the CRTBNDRPG, CRTSRVPGM, and CRTPGM commands. They can also be specified on the CRTRPGMOD command; however, the search for a binding directory is done when the module is bound at CRTPGM or CRTSRVPGM time. A binding directory can reduce program size because modules or service programs listed in a binding directory are used only if they are needed.
Figure 5 shows the two approaches to program creation.
Once a program is created you can update the program using the Update Program (UPDPGM) or Update Service Program (UPDSRVPGM) commands. This is useful, because it means you only need to have the new or changed module objects available to update the program.
For more information on the one-step process, see Creating a Program with the CRTBNDRPG Command. For more information on the two-step process, see Creating a Program with the CRTRPGMOD and CRTPGM Commands. For more information on service programs, see Creating a Service Program.