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prino
Senior Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2009
Posts: 1306
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
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In my REXX, panel, message and skeleton libs I still have members that date back to the early 1990'ies. I probably will never use them, but given that that take no more than a few tracks, there's no way I'm going to delete them, ever.
What you're doing, probably suggested by a clueless PHB, is a total waste of time, and so is this whole thread.
My € 0.02 |
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Smouch Smith
New User
Joined: 27 Oct 2021
Posts: 17
Location: Germany
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| enrico-sorichetti wrote: |
| ...why not copy the datasets involved to the USS side an do your research from there |
That was my initial inclination, until I discovered that we're (my company) is running some horribly antiquated USS version which doesn't include BASH. I am OK with writing antiquated sh scripts (or whatever shell is in use), but, it seems like this whole thing *should* be able to be done with a few lines of REXX. Since this looks like an opportunity to learn REXX, I thought I would try it.
Of course, I am stumbling on even the most basic funcitonality.
My latest experiment with running (submitting) my first REXX script results in this, totally useless message: RECORD LENGTH OF DATA SET MYUSER.DEV.REXX1 NOT 80
I cannot understand how something as trivial as creating a text file could be made so complicated. |
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Smouch Smith
New User
Joined: 27 Oct 2021
Posts: 17
Location: Germany
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I feel like I am missing some absolute basic knownledge here.
Almost like I am not even using tools that are available.
As a sort of weak analogy, it's like I am using the DOS 1.0 shell from within modern Linux BASH without knowing or something.
Seriously, I honestly cannot believe that this is really the way people work on Mainframe z/OS. Surely there are modern editors, and proper shells that can be used for this.
As a simple example of what I am talking about, my attempt at running a simple REXX script, as indicated above. It took me about 4 attempts to create the file within ISPF. Editing it is a painfully archaic process of line editing with an interface worse than 'ed' (I mean, come on, 'vi' is 45 years old !) , Now, I have to figure out how I can correct this RECORD LENGTH error, when really, why do I need to care about this, surely this is the job of the OS and file system to worry about.
WTF !
This is a text file containing REXX script. How complicated can it be ?
And, this is what I mean by I feel like I must be missing something. Like there are tools available, but, I am not yet aware of them. |
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daveporcelan
Active Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2006
Posts: 792
Location: Pennsylvania
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Smouch,
I think you need a mentor on your Mainframe system to show you around.
No doubt things are antiquated, like the ISPF editor.
Once you get the hang of it, it is not so bad.
Rexx has been IBM's mainframe standard since the mid 1980s.
You can complain all you want, but until you 'embrace the big iron' you you never get the hang of it.
Just some thoughts. |
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Smouch Smith
New User
Joined: 27 Oct 2021
Posts: 17
Location: Germany
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Yeah, I realize this sounds a little like a rant.
Didn't really mean for it to. More a cry for help - information maybe.
I have reviewed so much documentation from IBMs website that my eyes are bleeding. |
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Pedro
Global Moderator
Joined: 01 Sep 2006
Posts: 2547
Location: Silicon Valley
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| Code: |
| RECORD LENGTH OF DATA SET MYUSER.DEV.REXX1 NOT 80 |
In the 1950's (maybe earlier??), you had to use a keypunch machine to type stuff onto a paper card (that was 80 characters long). And you used a card reader to input your stuff into the mainframe.
Additional functions where added later, but some of the original restrictions remain. I am not trying to convince you to like the old stuff; I am just trying to explain that you need to live with some restrictions. They are unlikely to change.
-----
I suggest you issue this command: PROFILE MSGID
so that when a message is displayed, you get a message number that you can search for.
For example, google for IKJ56261I site:ibm.com |
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