From: Paul Gilmartin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Let me see if I understand this:
SET RED = 'WOMBAT'
SET COLOR = RED
PRINT &&COLOR /* Prints 'WOMBAT', Doesn't it? */
The CLIST syntax to display WOMBAT would be as follows:
SET RED = WOMBAT /* No quotes required */
SET COLOR = &RED /* Ampersand required */
WRITE &COLOR /* WRITE instead of PRINT, with one ampersand */
Line 1 assigns a variable called RED with a literal value called WOMBAT.
Line 2 assigns a variable called COLOR with the contents of a variable
called RED, so COLOR is set to WOMBAT. Line 3 displays the contents of the
variable COLOR, so WOMBAT is displayed.
SET RED = 'Uninitialized'
SET COLOR = RED
SET &COLOR = 'WOMBAT'
PRINT &&COLOR /* Prints what? I'd hope for 'WOMBAT'. */
The CLIST syntax for the above would look like this:
SET RED = &Z
SET COLOR = &RED
SET &COLOR = WOMBAT
WRITE &COLOR
The first line sets a variable called RED to a null value. The second line
sets a variable called COLOR to the value of a variable called RED, which
was previously set to null. In other words, the value of COLOR is set to
null. The third line sets a variable called COLOR to a literal value called
WOMBAT. Note that the ampersand on line 3 is optional, so line 3 works
exactly the same way line 2 works; in other words, line 3 simply clobbers
the assignment that was made on line 2. The fourth line displays the value
of the variable &COLOR, which of course is WOMBAT. In other words, lines 1
and 2 are completely redundant as they have no effect whatsoever on lines 3
and 4.
Hope this helps,
Dave Salt
SimpList(tm) - The easiest, most powerful way to surf a mainframe!
http://www.mackinney.com/products/SIM/simplist.htm
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