The . prevents null values from being compared, which sometimes causes errors in the clist. Any character could be used so that valid, non-null values are generated.
-----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of McKown, John Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:02 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Clist Quest > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Baraniecki, Ray > Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:53 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Clist Quest > > I ran across the following IF statement in a Clist that I am > working on. The statement itself is understandable, it's the > period usage that I don't understand. Can anyone shed some > light on this? > > IF .&ITEMS < .5 THEN DO > > > Thanks, > > > Ray Baraniecki suppose the line were: IF &ITEMS < 5 THEN DO What if &ITEMS is null ('')? Without the periods, the CLIST intepreter would see the line: IF < 5 THEN DO which it could not handle (syntax error). So the periods are there just to make the line syntactically correct in the case where &ITEMS is null. -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * (817)-961-6183 cell [email protected] * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
