My experience has been that product documntation often summarizes, incorrectly, rules for, e.g., CLIST, JCL, REXX, instead of referring the reader to the appropriate documentation.
-- Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz http://mason.gmu.edu/~smetz3 עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר ________________________________________ From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> on behalf of Phil Smith III <li...@akphs.com> Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 11:51 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: As a long-time Rexx programmer "If the command contains special characters or blanks, enclose it in single quotation marks." Might not be the best example, but it's clear from the doc that whoever wrote it doesn't understand that unassigned Rexx variables return their literal values. Point is, if this is an SDSF special thing, then that isn't clear. If it's referring to "Hey, if you want to pass something like xyz;abc then you need to either have that in a variable and specify the variable OR put it in quotes because that's how Rexx works", then that's different. (And is what is pretty clear from some other places in the doc, though perhaps not this specific case.) -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Rob Scott Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 4:26 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: As a long-time Rexx programmer Ok I will bite. Please point out what parts of that extract are "grim" and "embarrassing". Rob Scott Rocket Software Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> ________________________________ From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> on behalf of Lionel B. Dyck <0000057b0ee5a853-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2024 8:43:49 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> Subject: Re: As a long-time Rexx programmer EXTERNAL EMAIL Just be glad we do have a REXX API to invoke SDSF 😊 Lionel B. Dyck <>< Github: https://github.com/lbdyck<https://github.com/lbdyck> System Z Enthusiasts Discord: https://discord.gg/sze<https://discord.gg/sze> “Worry more about your character than your reputation. Character is what you are, reputation merely what others think you are.” - - - John Wooden -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Phil Smith III Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2024 1:40 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: As a long-time Rexx programmer ...am I the only one who SMH at the documentation for things like ISFEXEC (https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.4.0?topic=language-issuing-commands-isfexec<https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.4.0?topic=language-issuing-commands-isfexec>)? It reads like it was written by someone who doesn't quite understand how variables/literals work in Rexx: -- You issue commands with the ISFEXEC host command as follows: Address SDSF "ISFEXEC sdsf-command (options)" sdsf-command is a supported SDSF command, including any parameters. If the command contains special characters or blanks, enclose it in single quotation marks. -- The rest of the doc seems to be similar. If only IBM had some Rexx experience.oh, wait. Yes, I'm being snide, but this is just grim. And embarrassing. I realize unlikely to be fixed at this late date, of course. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ================================ Rocket Software, Inc. and subsidiaries ■ 77 Fourth Avenue, Waltham MA 02451 ■ Main Office Toll Free Number: +1 855.577.4323 Contact Customer Support: https://my.rocketsoftware.com/RocketCommunity/RCEmailSupport Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages/Manage Your Subscription Preferences - http://www.rocketsoftware.com/manage-your-email-preferences Privacy Policy - http://www.rocketsoftware.com/company/legal/privacy-policy ================================ This communication and any attachments may contain confidential information of Rocket Software, Inc. All unauthorized use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify Rocket Software immediately and destroy all copies of this communication. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
