Natural Programming Language

1
Natural Programming Language

• Introduction
• History
• Binding and Scope
• Data Types
• Design Features
• Sub-Programs
• Positive Features
• Negative Features

2
Introduction

• Natural programming language is a high level
  language designed for database access. It s an
  application programming language designed to
  support modular programming, to be portable and
  easy to use. Natural offers two environment
  specific modes of programming
• Structured Mode
• Reporting Mode

3
History

• 1976
• Development of Natural begins. The product got
  its name because it supports the natural working
  method of the developer.
• 1979
• Natural is launched. This complete application
  development environment supports both procedural
  and event-driven programming.
• 1985
• With Con-nect, a Natural-based mainframe-supported
  system with functions for improving transparency
  and simplifying work processes in offices and
  administrations, Software AG integrates the
  office communication domain into its overall
  software system.
• 1987
• Online database monitoring becomes possible with
  Adabas Online Services (AOS), a tool developed in
  Natural.
• 1988
• Thanks to the development of Adabas and Natural
  for UNIX, the entire computer spectrum can be
  catered for (Mainframe/DEC/UNIX).
• 2001
• Software AG continues to develop its products
  Natural 5 for Windows can process XML documents
  and access the Web directly via HTTP.
• 2004
• Software AG celebrates two anniversaries in 2004
  the 35th year since its foundation

4
Binding and Scope

• Static Scope.
• Static and Dynamic Binding.
• Variable names are bound at compile time
• Defined variables are bound at compile time
• Data pulled from the database cannot be bound
  until run time
• There is also no type checking when passing
  parameters. The programmer must keep track of
  this themselves. The closest thing even
  available is a system variable that will return
  the current object type, but this does not work
  for specific parameters

5
Structured and Reporting Mode

• Functional Differences
• The following major functional differences exist
  between reporting mode and structured mode
• Syntax Related to Closing Loops and Functional
  Blocks
• Closing a Processing Loop in Reporting Mode
• Closing a Processing Loop in Structured Mode
• Location of Data Elements in a Program
• Database Reference

6
Structured and Reporting Mode

• Syntax Related to Closing Loops and Functional
  Blocks
• Reporting Mode
• (CLOSE) LOOP and DO ... DOEND statements are used
  for this purpose.
• END-... statements cannot be used.
• Structured Mode
• Every loop or logical construct must be
  explicitly closed with a corresponding END-...
  statement. Thus, it becomes immediately clear,
  which loop/logical constructs ends where.
• LOOP and DO/DOEND statements cannot be used.

7

• Reporting Mode Example
• DEFINE DATA LOCAL
• 1 MYVIEW VIEW OF EMPLOYEES
• 2 PERSONNEL-ID
• 2 NAME
• 2 BIRTH
• END-DEFINE
• READ MYVIEW BY PERSONNEL-ID
• DISPLAY NAME BIRTH
• AT END OF DATA
• SKIP 2
• WRITE / 'LAST SELECTED' OLD(NAME)
• END-ENDDATA
• END-READ
• END

• Reporting Mode Example
• READ EMPLOYEES BY PERSONNEL-ID
• DISPLAY NAME BIRTH
• AT END OF DATA
• DO
• SKIP 2
• WRITE / 'LAST SELECTED' OLD(NAME)
• DOEND
• END

8
Data Types

• Data are not explicitly given a type.
• Data fields are generally declared and read in
  from a database
• Variables that do get defined are ones that are
  used for arithmetic operations calculations and
  data processing.

9
Variable Declaration
10
Advantages/Disadvantages

• Positive
• Easily readable code for ease of maintenance and
  development.
• Easy to learn
• Very powerful language because it can be
  integrated it with Mainframe, pc, and web
  environments.
• Easy to debug in development
• Quick and easy to create online program
  applications for mainframe in comparison to
  languages like COBOL.

• Negative
• Not widely used, sometimes it's difficult to find
  quality user groups for development ideas.
  Natural programmers need to be creative.
• Can be difficult to find jobs if a company moves
  away from Natural.
• When an error occurs at runtime it can be
  difficult to find
• No debuggers

11
Development Environment
12
Sources

• First Class Systems Natural Training Course
• http//documentation.softwareag.com/natural/nat421
  mf/overview.htm