On Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:27:57 -0800, Edward Jaffe wrote: > >On a related matter, we recently received a problem report from a >customer who complained that our standard classic MVS data set name >validation routine did not allow for dashes (-) in cataloged data set >names. I never knew dashes were legal! But, an empirical test on z/OS >1.9 proves that they are (but not as the first character of a qualifier). > >Naturally, I can research this. But, I'm just wondering if anyone on the >list knows whether this is a recent change or whether dashes have always >been supported and I just stupidly overlooked it for decades. > At least a decade. I don't know about "decades". But beware. JCL converter allows "DSN=USER.FOO-BAR", but syntax errors on "DCB=USER.FOO-BAR". Go figure. Documented. Can anyone envision a rationale for this better than Conway's law or Emerson's maxim on consistency?
Likewise, ISPF LMCOPY allows (or used to allow) hyphens in member names, but LMMSTATS prohibits them. Go figure. -- gil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
