It was while I was coding in REXX that I tried abutting a variable named 'x' with another string, and couldn't figure out why the program behaved as it did. Eventually figured out I had inadvertently created a hex constant. Maybe as an overreaction, I have never since used one-character variable names, always two or more. (What do I use for loop counters?, you ask. I use 'j' plus another letter; 'jr' for records, for example, 'jd' for days whatever. More obvious would have been 'i', but there are too many two-letter reserved words even in REXX that start with 'i'.)
--- Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 /* When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up. -C.S. Lewis */ -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Andrew Rowley Sent: Friday, April 19, 2024 22:41 It doesn't cause a problem except when it does. One danger is a typo in a variable name. When I wrote some complex Rexx I did use SIGNAL ON NOVALUE, but I wasn't totally appeased! --- On 20/04/2024 12:41 am, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: > Rexx defines the value of variables that have no explicit value > assigned to them to be the name of the variable in uppercase, so it > does not cause a problem. (It does cause problems for programmers who > got trained to always make sure that a value is assigned to variables. > This is the reason why ooRexx has an option to activate checking for > the use of uninitialized variables in Rexx programs to appease those > who are not accustomed to it or feel that it should not be allowed. ;) ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
