1. "This manual left intentionally blank". Try a DATASORT. If you have that,
you probably have everything.
2. Yes, symbols are great. SyncSORT doesn't call them symbols as such, I think
they are "dictionary" or something like that.
I've been known to change Kolusu's inline comments to symbols...
There was mention of using WORD in Rexx to get the 10th word for something the
other day.
//THIRDWRD EXEC PGM=SORT
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYMNAMES DD *
THIRD-WORD,%01
//SYMNOUNT DD SYSOUT=*
//SORTOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD *
SORT FIELDS=COPY
INREC PARSE=(%=(ENDBEFR=BLANKS,
STARTAT=NONBLANK,
STARTAFT=BLANKS),
%=(ENDBEFR=BLANKS),
THIRD-WORD=(ENDBEFR=BLANKS,
FIXLEN=30)),
BUILD=(THIRD-WORD)
//SORTIN DD *
A120 B1230 C0 D12340
E123450 F1230 G120 H10
I0 J0 K0 L0
Adapt by repeating the "%=(ENDBEFR=BLANKS)," an appropriate number of times,
and change the symbol name (this is more the power of PARSE, than symbols, but
I was reminded).
Also, it is very effective to generate a symbol-file in one step, and use the
symbol-file in another step. It means, for instance, that you can have a
modified value for INCLUDE/OMIT (like a formula to get a selection date),
amongst other things.
Even for simply saving on the typos when using the same field for the sixth
time... makes Sort Cards "self-documenting" :-)
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