On 18 Jan 2007 10:20:13 -0800, in bit.listserv.ibm-main you wrote: >>I could get past whatever it is that makes it so hard for me to >>understand the syntax of these newer features. > >There's an interesting project for someone: a lanuage preprocessor for >SORT which accepts a different syntax, and produces SORT control >statements; or a "wrapper" which does the same thing. Maybe a "sort >wizard" also, to help someone build the sort they need? > >I don't personally have a problem with the syntax, but I know a lot of >people seem to. I think, also, that we're seeing more "zNextGen" types who >don't usually code control statements for a sort, they (I guess) set up a >sort via drop-down menus and the like - which makes the learning curve of >sort syntax (any mainframe sort tool, not just IBM's) a pretty big hurdle >to jump. > >Unfortunately I don't think non-functional improvement to mainframe sorts >(i.e. allowing a different syntax without adding new capabilities) is >going to get a lot of new customers, so I don't know if an economic case >can be made for building a new language for it.
Take a look at SYNCSORT for HP-UX (and probably other UNIX environments). In terms of syntax and capability it has the mainframe sorts beat by a mile. If I read the manual correctly, I could have used a COBOL copybook as one of the input control streams so that I could have just sorted on field name without even having to write separate descriptors. > >Tim Hare >Senior Systems Programmer >Florida Department of Transportation >(850) 414-4209 > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
