Attempting to distinguish empty files from nul strings and the like Ron Skorupka writes:
<begin extract> Zero-space dataset is real object, consuming real resources (VTOC, maybe catalog) with no real (as intended) use. <end extract/> but nul strings also consume resources in just this way. The PL/I varying character string nada of declare nada character varying(0) ; is comprised of a halfword prefix having the value 0. Or again, its C analogue is comprised of a single eos-delimiter byte, x'00'. --jg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
