On Wed, 7 May 2025 17:28:20 +0000, Lennie Bradshaw wrote: >// designates end of JOB > Why is this useful? why not let merely let the end of the SUBMITted file designate end of JOB?
>/* designates end of Data (default setting) > >Note the difference too, between, > >//SYSIN DD * >and >//SYSIN DD DATA,DLM=some 2-8 char string (JES2) >//SYSIN DD DATA,DLM=some 2 char string (JES3) > Does either of these or any alternative, permit a "//" record to appear within SYSIN? Otherwise, SYSIN could be a concatenation, with each part specifying a different DLM. >When the first is used any JCL statement will terminate the data. The second >requires whatever the DLM value is. > >You may consider all this bad design. However, it was designed for use with >punched cards back in the early 1960s. Since then, compatibility requirements >have maintained it from being changed in any incompatible manner. >Compatibility has been a major factor in the longevity of IBM mainframe >technology. > I have no sympathy with maintaining compatibility with a deleterious feature. If it's garbage, throw it out. Alternatively, provide a PEDANTIC JOB statement option as some C compilers have, disabling questionable constructs, prohibiting anything documented as "unpredictable". -- gil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
