On Sun, 14 Nov 2021 17:50:21 +0000, Robert Prins wrote:
>The symbolic parameter is tested against a valid relational-expression
>keyword, and I'm not using some "IF THIS=&THAT THEN" expression!
>
>Maybe someone from IBM will chip in to once and for all clarify this,
>update the manual, either way, and tell us who is wrong...
>
Please.
Some years ago. Peter Relson (IIRC), replying to me on this topic,
explained that constructs documented as "accepted" but not
"supported" may be reserved for IBM internal use. His particular
example was undocumented keywords in IBM library macros.
This strikes me as qualitatively different. But it's possible, however
implausible, that a construct such as:
// SET MAGIC=''
//L IF &MAGIC ... THEN
triggers some non=GUPI magic behavior used internally by IBM.
The phrasing in the JCL Ref. seems crafted to allow this.
>> >>> ...
>> >>> //SET LI=4095 (skip link)
>> >>> //*SET LI=0 (link if compile is OK)
>> >>> //*
>> >>> //IFLINK IF RC <= 4 & RC >= &LI THEN
>> >>>
>> >> Your use of "&LI" is not "intended or supported" syntax.
>> >> The JCL Ref. says:
>> >> • You can specify symbolic parameters on IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF
>> >> statements provided that they resolve to one of the supported
>> >> relational-expression keywords. Any other symbolic parameters,
>> >> even if accepted by the system, are not intended or supported.
>> >> Refer to “Relational-expression keywords” on page 366.
>> >>
>> >> Neither "0" nor "4095" is among the listed “Relational-expression
>> >> keywords”
>> >
>> >It's fully supported, it has always been possible to use symbols for
>> >return-codes, and for IF-THEN(_ELSE) at least since 1997, when I wrote the
>> >edit
>> >macros to convert and parametrize production JCL using "COND" for our Y2K
>> >and euro work.
>> >
>> If you disagree with the clear statement in the book ( SA23-1385-50),
>> "not ... supported", submit an RCF.
>>
>> Let us know the resolution.
-- gil
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