Rexx program for 'COLS' line command

rguhanath · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 81 Location: chennai

Hi All,

I want to see the Rexx program for 'COLS' line command(column ruler display). where can i get the source code for ISPF Lline Commands? please help me on this.

Thanks and Regards,
Nath.

expat · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:16 pm

I would say that these are probably programs supplied by IBM. I do not believe that they will be readily willing to release the source code to all and sundry.

Perhaps if you explain why you want this, then someone may be more able to assist.

rguhanath · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 81 Location: chennai

Yes expat,

Base on that code i want to modify the functionality of the logic and i want to implement new macro as SCOLS. It’s customized the position of starting where the cursor is positioned which is simpler to count the length. Like below

PeterHolland · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 3:54 pm

Now this is real fun.
I hope this topic is a joke, if not im wondering
if anyone should take this topic serious.

expat · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:02 pm

rguhanath · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 81 Location: chennai

Hi,

If you people are understood this topic as funniest thing, I am sorry on this. And please let me know how you count the chars of a line in flat file with in 2 or 3 sec which is not have any lay out. I hope it’s hardly taking 4-8 min for individual fields from where they start. Just think on it and we probably facing this type of calculations while coding in JCL SORT card.

Please ignore this and I will try with my self and thanks for your help and comment.

-Nath.

PeterHolland · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:31 pm

Well i never had any problem to get the length from a postion other than
1 to position x. Yes there is some calculation to be done, and yes it takes
1-2 seconds (if you have to scroll left/right).
If that is too difficult for you, what the hell are you doing in IT?

Robert Sample · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 4:45 pm

Basic arithmetic lesson #1: end column - start column + 1 gives length of data. So the data from column 9 to column 27 requires 27 - 9 + 1 equal 19 bytes. If I have a batch of fields, I put the starting columns in a spreadsheet, calculate the ending columns and therefore field length from just that data. If I have 50 or 75 fields, it'll take a few minutes to enter and double check the starting locations but the calculations then take essentially no time at all.

IBM does not release source code for their system, so unless you actually work for IBM in the area involved with ISPF edit, you have no chance of seeing the source for the COLS command. And I doubt the source is in REXX, anyway.

If you are spending your work time attempting to do things like this (which should have been learned in an early computer class), you're going to have a difficult career in IT, no matter how short it is. Most companies want you working on THEIR problems, not made up issues.

rguhanath · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 81 Location: chennai

Hi Peter,

I know what I am doing in IT field and I hope that I am doing well to find out the simplest ways in our routine work and FYI this is also one of the part in our field.

Please stop this if you don’t know and please don’t continue with showing your hard words. Thanks

-Nath.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 5:49 pm

Pedro · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 7:34 pm

Nath,

Please read about the COLS and LINE_BEFORE macro instructions in the 'Edit and Edit Macros' manual.

CICS Guy · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 7:58 pm

Ronald Burr · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 9:18 pm

1. COLS does not exist as an edit MACRO command; COLS only exists as a NATIVE edit ( primary or line ) command.

2 A link to the LINE_BEFORE edit macro command.

3. Here is an edit Macro to accomplish what the TS wanted. To invoke, enter SCOLS on the command line, place your cursor on the word you want to highlight, and press ENTER ( note: there are 40 spaces between the parens for SPA ):

Pedro · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 9:24 pm

> Got a link to such?

I think any set of ISPF manuals will do. Here is the link I use:
www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zos/bkserv/r11pdf/#ispf

I do not recall that there was a highlighting requirement listed by the poster.

This is the exercise as I understand it:
setup:
1. create editor macro.
2. assign PF key to invoke macro

execute:
1. user positions cursor on particular line and column
2. user presses PF key to invoke macro
3. macro executes and determines cursor location
4. macro adds a NOTELINE or INFOLINE with appropriate column grid

rguhanath · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 81 Location: chennai

Hi All,

Thanks for your suggestions and help on this post. I was just asked to experts in this forum that is we have any possibilities to get such type of source code for inbuilt Line/Primary commands. And I explained my requirement to who is asked me. If any one takes this post as funny and dramatic way please reply your opinions to my private inbox. Thanks for putting your efforts on this.

And Thanks to Pedro and CICS Guy for your help & support and special thanks to Ronald Burr for your CODE.

-Nath

Marso · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 11:30 am

Sometimes I have to do the same kind of maths.
I'm a bit lazy too, so this is how I do it:
- display column numbers with standard COLS command.
- select the area I want to count with the mouse (just as I do for Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V).
- move the select rectangle over the COLS line, starting at col 1.
- get the answer.

That's easy, no need for macro, it works every time.

And sometimes I move the select rectangle to other parts of the screen,
it's useful when I want to know if a string will fit in the line, for example.

Pedro · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 7:02 pm

Ronald, it is time to start learning rexx.

Ronald Burr · Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 6:41 am

Pedro,
I "started" learning Rexx many years ago - and have written my share of Rexx Execs.
But CLIST could be thought of as my "native" mainframe scripting language, just as English is my native social language. It's what I first learned and made use of extensively, and that was before Rexx was available.
So, unless I feel the need to utilize some of the more powerful Rexx functions ( e.g. PARSE, EXECIO, etc. ) I still code in CLIST because that language is more "natural" for me. It's kind of like - I know enough Spanish to get by, but if I'm in Spain, and encounter a Spaniard who speaks very good English, I can communicate with him a lot better speaking English than Spanish. And even if I DID learn to speak Spanish fluently, I wouldn't forsake English because I could now speak Spanish - so why should I forsake CLIST because I can code Rexx? Frankly, the mainframe doesn't care whether the language I use is Rexx or CLIST - it is fluent in both.