Getting to know the computer programmers

Since I had already had preliminary discussions with the computer people, the letter from my boss made it easy for me to proceed further. But, the boss of computers had a question. His people would get the data inserted in the computer files as a one time basis. Subsequently, I would have to arrange to keep the file updated. Then only can necessary reports be generated. I had two reports in mind.
The first report was ‘Input Output of aircraft in the month’. This was, as its name implied, details of aircraft that had been either delivered to IAF after manufacture or overhaul or received from IAF for overhaul.

The second report was about the various accidents and incidents pertaining to the MiG-21 fighter aircraft and reported to HAL Nashik.
Both reports had to be sent to our Corporate Office in Bangalore in the first week of every month. Before I came on the scene, these reports used to be prepared manually, typed and then dispatched. I wanted to create the reports through the mainframe computer.
Once we came to the same frequency, I handed over to them an initial set of data pertaining to aircraft as well as accidents and incidents along with a set of alpha-numeric codes. And – the programmer assigned to do the work agreed to write the necessary programs.
She was the daughter of one of my earlier bosses and a willing learner. I had to explain the logic to her and she would write and rewrite the programs so that the outputs were satisfactory. Moreover, she had to write programs for entry of data into the computer files – this would have to be done by the clerks in my section who are assigned to do such work manually.
She had to, also, write a program to decode the alpha-numeric codes for the sake of the reports. I had to, therefore, design necessary data entry formats for aircraft receipt, aircraft dispatch, alpha-numeric codes of accidents and incidents, specific accident to aircraft, specific incidents to aircraft etcetera. (to be continued ...)


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