I'm trying to research programming languages available to the AS/400
or iSeries. In particular the BASIC programming language. Is that
language available on the OS/400 operation system? If so where can I
get more information.

I have found plenty of info on RPG, ILE, and Java, but am more
interested in BASIC.  I have researched on the Internet with not much
success, and I have looked on Amazon and Barns and Noble with no
success.  I do remember a few years ago my RPG instructor mentioned
there was a BASIC programming language available.

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 08 Sep 2005 20:13 PDT

firearm...

Any chance your instructor was referring to 'the' basic
programming language for the AS/400, being its command
language (CL)?:
http://www.answers.com/topic/as-400-command-language

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by firearm-ga on 08 Sep 2005 21:27 PDT

No, I'm fairly certain we were talking about BASIC and not the control
language.  Though my research I am not able to determine if that
language is supported on OS/400

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 08 Sep 2005 22:40 PDT

firearm...

Well it seems you're right. Using the Google search:
"AS/400 supports * programming languages"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22AS%2F400+supports+*+programming+languages%22

...I was able to locate the following post on experts.about.com
by AS/400 Expert Michael Corbo:

"The AS/400 supports several programming languages, most popular
 is RPG, but can also include Java, Cobol, PL/I, Basic and others.
 Like DOS, it has a command language that can be written into
 batch files call CL Programs."

But this may be based on an earlier paragraph where it says:

"The AS/400 is pretty much hardware, but it is also an operating
 system . Back in the old days, the AS/400 only ran OS/400
 (Operating System/400). Today though, besides that it runs linux,
 can run Windows 2000 on a plug in card (sharing storage resource)."
http://experts.about.com/q/1608/3064094.htm

The post also mentions www.midrange.com which touts itself
as "Your best source for i5 / iSeries / AS/400 Information
on the Internet". However a Google search of the site returns
no information on the BASIC programming language. They do
have a forum there where you might be able to learn more:
http://www.midrange.com/


My own searches for a connection between the OS400 and BASIC
found nothing of value, but you can ask Michael Corbo directly
from his profile page on AllExperts.about.com :
http://allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=15229

If this satisfies your interests in asking this question,
let me know, and I'll post an official answer. Otherwise,
I don't know that I can add anything more.

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by firearm-ga on 09 Sep 2005 06:18 PDT

I do appreciate your input but I'm still left with the same question
or to go question somewhere else.  "Is that language available on the
OS/400 operating system?" is the real qustion and refering to the
actual OS/400 and not others in which the AS/400 can run.

Again I appreciate your input but I don't feel that actually answers the question.

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Request for Question Clarification by efn-ga on 09 Sep 2005 19:04 PDT

I found a "Business BASIC."  Is that close enough?  It was all I could find.

Wikipedia's description of Business BASIC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Basic

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Clarification of Question by firearm-ga on 09 Sep 2005 19:53 PDT

Business Basic would be the flavor of course, I was after which vendor
is possibly supporting BASIC on the OS/400 operating system.

Hi firearm,

Southwest Data Systems offers X/TEND, "the only Business BASIC
environment available on the IBM AS/400."  The quote is from Southwest
Data Systems, but I was also unable to find any other BASIC compiler
or interpreter for that platform, though I did find a couple of
statements that simply said some kind of BASIC was available for the
AS/400.

Southwest Data Systems home page with contact information
http://businessbasic.com/

X/TEND Overview
http://businessbasic.com/xtendintro.htm

X/TEND Details
http://businessbasic.com/xtend.htm

I hope this is a satisfactory answer to your question.

Regards,

--efn

Thanks this is something worth looking into.

Actually, IBM offers a version of BASIC for the AS/400-iSeries-I5 (all
the same thing) computer system under OS/400. It doesn't seem to be
used much. If you compile a BASIC program with this compiler, it will
run on any AS/400-iSeries-I5 computer.

I investigated this compiler 5 or ten years ago when I was looking for
a way to program on the AS/400. The good news,is, yes,it is BAIC> The
bad nwes, is the iSeries uses page-mode terminals, and you won't be
able to convert your PC or other BASIC programs to run on the iSeries
without significant changes.

Brad Jensen
Tulsa

Thanks for the tip and feedback.  I actually broke down and bought a
couple of RPG IV programming books and started an online course as
well. I was suprised at how far RPG has come since I took a course in
it back in 1991.  So I am up and coding fairly quickly and with a lot
less headaches.  I may ease my way into Java on the I-Series next.