On Mon, 2 Jun 2008 22:19:47 -0400, John P. Baker wrote:
>
>The manual, as is often the case, is unclear. I interpret it is meaning
>that the following construct is prohibited:
>
>// SET N=1
>// SET X&N=1024
>
>As illustrated, I suspect that what IBM is saying you cannot do is to create
>a dynamic variable name.
>
Did you try it?:
16 // SET WOMBAT=MARSUPIAL
17 // SET X=FOO
18 // SET Y=BAR
19 // SET &X&Y=&WOMBAT
//*
IEFC653I SUBSTITUTION JCL - FOOBAR=MARSUPIAL
20 //STEP4 EXEC PGM=IEFBR14,PARM='&FOOBAR'
//*
IEFC653I SUBSTITUTION JCL - PGM=IEFBR14,PARM='MARSUPIAL'
... even that seems possible. (z/OS 1.9)
>However, as I stated, the manual is unclear, and I suggest that a PMR
>requesting clarification is in order, as well as a documentation update
>giving further examples of what is permitted and what is prohibited.
>
However:
>#<<< 5.4.2.1 "z/OS V1R9.0 MVS JCL Reference" IBM Library Server
> ___________________________________________________________________
> 5.4.2.1 Defining and Nullifying JCL Symbols
> ...
> * Do not specify JCL symbols within other JCL symbols. The results can
> be unpredictable, especially if the imbedded JCL symbol is not
> previously defined.
>
The operant word is "unpredictable". How many examples in a PMR or
RCF would suffice to refute "unpredictable"? How many examples in
a manual would suffice to illustrate "unpredictable"?
I have similar discomfort with the laxity of specification of the
syntax of the boolean expression in the IF statement.
It appears to me that JCL specifiers of the current generation have
become careless: they no longer care to provide a precise specification
of new features being added, or the coders don't care to implement
according to specifications provided and managers don't enforce
compliance to what precise specifications were provided, but shrug
and direct the tech writers to say "unpredictable".
Not a good situation.
-- gil
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