Ken With all this fuss - and a private note seemingly on your behalf - I raked my memory a bit back to the time I was obliged to teach REXX as a clist language for NetView. I recalled that maybe the TSO manuals were not as useful for beginners as the VM manual so I took a look at the latest z/VM REXX/VM User's Guide. Indeed it still has the same "reading plan" designed to lead people with different skills levels as gently as possible into the use of REXX:
http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/HCSB3C00/1.3? <quote> 1.3 The Reading Plan To assist beginners and less-experienced programmers, each subject is dealt with at three levels: Reading 1, Reading 2, and Reading 3. Reading 1 The first reading introduces you to all the basic concepts of REXX. You will learn these concepts by writing programs suggested in the text. We expect you will also write some programs for your own use. Reading 2 The second reading expands your knowledge of the first reading's information and teaches you the main body of the REXX language. You will also write, copy, and modify more programs. Reading 3 The third reading contains information on features that are not often used or that are specific for special kinds of programs. In addition, there are reminders in reverse printing at the beginning of each reading. These reminders will tell you where a particular reading begins. Following is an example. Reading 1 There are also bold type reminders at the end of each reading. These reminders will tell you where the reading ends and where you should go next. The three-level reading scheme should help maintain your interest while you build up your knowledge and skill. Subtopics: - 1.3.1 If You Have Never Written a Computer Program... - 1.3.2 If You Are Already Familiar with Another Language... - 1.3.3 Exercises and Example - 1.3.4 The REXX Reference </quote> I very strongly suspect the above - together with the TSO/E manuals - all online for no cost over and above the fraction of the cost of the ISP service which, as an IBMer, will not be not out of your pocket - is all you need. If, in addition, you discover you can obtain the Cowlishaw book on an IBM internal order in order to be sure you have the "Urquelle" to hand, that would be the icing on the cake. - Incidentally, how Dennis Roach's response managed to get "EXTERNAL:" as a prefix to the Subject line with the effect of distorting the archive system I guess we may never know! - Chris Mason On Wed, 27 Apr 2011 03:39:41 -0500, Chris Mason <[email protected]> wrote: >Ken > >Yes, I know who you are because of your Goggle Groups "Profile"! > >Your post > >> Can anyone recommend a good book or two about REXX that addresses >z/OS issues? > >does not appear in the IBM-MAIN archives and so you are reaching only the >audience which is picking up the Google Groups mirror of the IBM-MAIN list. > >I have responded so that the response does appear in the IBM-MAIN list >properly. > >You should sort out a proper subscription following the instructions below: > ><quote> > >For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to >[email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the >archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html > ></quote> > >An illustration of the fact your posts are going just about nowhere is that your >request to Michel Castelein back in March in the thread "Looking for a >checklist about z/OS V1R10 with Debug Tool" was ignored for the very simple >reason he stood no chance of seeing it! > >Looking through your other posts, I see there is at least one other request to >contact you directly that probably fell on deaf ears. > >- > >> Can anyone recommend a good book or two about REXX that addresses >z/OS issues? > >As an IBMer, I'm surprised you need to be pointed in the direction of these >two manuals: > >z/OS TSO/E REXX User's Guide > >http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/IKJ4C310/ > >z/OS TSO/E REXX Reference > >http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/IKJ4A390/ > >It used to be possible to get the following manual, the REXX bible, although >this doesn't meet your "z/OS issues" requirement: > >The REXX Language: A Practical Approach to Programming - Second Edition > >Unfortunately, I removed the sticker with the IBM form number on it as I can >see from the traces of glue on the back. You should use whatever internal >facilities exist in order to see if it can still be ordered internally. > >Incidentally it is sooooo refreshing to see the word "issues" used in a proper >context when it is normally submerged under mountains of misappropriation! > >Chris Mason ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
