Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

://mason.gmu.edu/~smetz3 עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List on behalf of Jon Perryman Sent: Monday, April 22, 2024 5:02 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On 23/04/2024 12:01 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: > delete foo > > rather than > > 'DELETE' foo > > is a simple example. In practise I often need multiple

Re: Commands via Rexx (Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Tue, 23 Apr 2024, at 11:25, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: > The nice thing is that Rexx allows different variants of string > concatenations and one is free to use what seems to be the > "easiest", the "safest". Personally I use blank concatenations > by default and abuttal or || only if there

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

0 seconds and completed 41597318 iterations. Eric Rossman -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List On Behalf Of Paul Gilmartin Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 10:42 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and sc

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:07:05 +, Schmitt, Michael wrote: >You lost me when you say that rather than embrace the conventions, standards, >and features of the language I'm coding in (REXX), I should restrict it to the >limitations of other languages. > Did I say that? I was trying to take a

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:59:47 +1000, Andrew Rowley wrote: >... >To me, it is much clearer to be explicit, including the concatenation, e.g. >"DELETE " || foo >seems much clearer about exactly what is hap

Commands via Rexx (Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 23.04.2024 05:03, Andrew Rowley wrote: On 23/04/2024 11:55 am, Paul Gilmartin wrote: On Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:59:47 +1000, Andrew Rowley  wrote:     ... To me, it is much clearer to be explicit, including the concatenation, e.g. "DELETE " || foo That overkill is apt to confuse a POSIX shell

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 23/04/2024 11:55 am, Paul Gilmartin wrote: On Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:59:47 +1000, Andrew Rowley wrote: ... To me, it is much clearer to be explicit, including the concatenation, e.g. "DELETE " || foo That overkill is apt to confuse a POSIX shell partisan who would see the blank as part of

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:59:47 +1000, Andrew Rowley wrote: >... >To me, it is much clearer to be explicit, including the concatenation, e.g. >"DELETE " || foo >seems much clearer about exactly what is happening/expected, which are >variables and which are (expected to be) constant etc. > That

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 23/04/2024 12:01 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: delete foo rather than 'DELETE' foo is a simple example. In practise I often need multiple upper case constants in a single expression. In this example, delete *looks like* an instruction rather than a variable - the fact that it is a variable

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:01:23 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >delete foo >rather than >'DELETE' foo >is a simple example. In practise I often need multiple upper case constants in >a single expression. This isn't a valid example because 'delete' will also work. As Andrew said, rarely will you

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

: Monday, April 22, 2024 1:45 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On Mon, 22 Apr 2024 01:41:21 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >I was referring to 'I once found CMS ISPF to reauire "address isredit

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Mon, 22 Apr 2024 01:41:21 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >I was referring to 'I once found CMS ISPF to reauire "address isredit 'isredit >'". >Otherwise the command went to ISPEXEC.', which clearly is b0rk3n. This seems very unlikely given that IBM does good QA and this would have caused a

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

: IBM Mainframe Discussion List on behalf of Andrew Rowley Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 10:00 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On 22/04/2024 10:09 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: > It shortens expressi

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 22/04/2024 10:09 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: It shortens expressions, upper cases automatically and, IMHO, is more readable. Was that a reply about the usefulness of the default value being the variable name, uppercase? If so, I still don't see it. Can you give an example of how you would

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

gt; Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 8:48 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:02:56 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >Unclean! Did you report it as a bug? > I suspect it's WAD (BAD!) o LEAV

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:02:56 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >Unclean! Did you report it as a bug? > I suspect it's WAD (BAD!) o LEAVE as the target of an assignment is a variable name. o Otherwise, LEAVE as the first token of an instruction is a keywod (LEAVE NAME) o Otherwise, LEAVE is a symbol

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 7:03 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On 22/04/2024 1:19 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: > 2. There is a decades-long argument about NOVALUE. I am in the c

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 22/04/2024 1:19 am, Seymour J Metz wrote: 2. There is a decades-long argument about NOVALUE. I am in the camp that believes the default behavior to be too useful to give up; others believe that it is dangerous. Genuine curiosity: what is the use of the default behaviour? I have

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

equ...@listserv.ua.edu> Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 11:50 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 15:19:40 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >A few comments. > > 1. It's best to avoid

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

on behalf of Robert Prins <05be6ef5bfea-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2024 4:17 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question Try the two characters that are pretty much unique t

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 15:19:40 +, Seymour J Metz wrote: >A few comments. > > 1. It's best to avoid names that a,e, or are similar to, keywords. > Astonishment factor with such as "LEAVE = 'date'; LEAVE". No Rexx syntax error, but unexpected result. > 2. There is a decades-long argument about

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List on behalf of Rony G. Flatscher Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2024 1:50 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On 20.04.2024 17:40, Paul Gilmartin wrote

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

on behalf of Bruce Hewson <0499d3d5e892-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 12:58 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question Hello Bob, I use "cnt" for my loop cou

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 2024-04-21 15:38, Paul Gilmartin wrote: On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 23:58:18 -0500, Bruce Hewson wrote: I use "cnt" for my loop counters. I stopped using FORTRAN style single character variable names when I started coding in REXX. I thought FORTRAN allowed six. It did. Now it allows many

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 23:58:18 -0500, Bruce Hewson wrote: > >I use "cnt" for my loop counters. I stopped using FORTRAN style single >character variable names when I started coding in REXX. > I thought FORTRAN allowed six. (Be careful how you pronounce that!) -- gil

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Hello Bob, I use "cnt" for my loop counters. I stopped using FORTRAN style single character variable names when I started coding in REXX. Except I do use them on occasion for building large stem variable lists. example:- i=i+1;jcl.i="//BRUCESMP JOB (1234546),'Bruce SMP jobn',"

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Well, they may not be reserved, if you say so. But I think I'd be a fool to try using "is", "if" or "in" as a loop counter, certainly for the sake of the programmer who inherits my work but I'm sure it would confuse me too. --- Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 /* When a

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

I've inherited a REXX app from a departed coworker who uses (for example) 'complete?' as a Boolean variable name, where in REXX I would use 'fcomplete' for the same purpose ('f' for "flag"). I see the sense of the question mark, but I've been coding too many decades; I can't FEEL it. I

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Ooh, I'm sure I've read that I can do that but I forgot. I like that - think I'll start doing it myself. Normally I'm rabid about indentation, but occasionally in a longer program I lose track of something and have to spend a of time searching for where I left out an End. --- Bob Bridges,

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 19:50:56 +0200, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: >... >There are *no* reserved words in Rexx like in many other languages. (This >alleviates one to have to >learn them by heart. But more importantly, should the language get additional >keywords over time > I disagree. Although

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 20.04.2024 19:52, Paul Gilmartin wrote: On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 20:17:36 +, Robert Prins wrote: Try the two characters that are pretty much unique to REXX, "!" and "?" especially for small local loops. Ugh! But I confess I've done likewise at times. I tried to refresh my memory and

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 20:17:36 +, Robert Prins wrote: >Try the two characters that are pretty much unique to REXX, "!" and "?" >especially for small local loops. > Ugh! But I confess I've done likewise at times. I tried to refresh my memory and observed that the Rexx Ref., SA32-0972-60, is

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 20.04.2024 17:40, Paul Gilmartin wrote: On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 11:08:03 -0400, Bob Bridges wrote: 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

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Try the two characters that are pretty much unique to REXX, "!" and "?" especially for small local loops. Robert -- Robert AH Prins robert(a)prino(d)org The hitchhiking grandfather Some REXX code for use on z/OS

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 11:08:03 -0400, Bob Bridges wrote: >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

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

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

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 20/04/2024 12:41 am, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: It is an attempt to apply dynamic typing to reduce the need to write the explicit type. This service gets carried out by the compiler. In true dynamically typed languages you can reuse variables like "start" or "tmp" to refer to values of

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 20/04/2024 1:42 am, Jay Maynard wrote: Agreed Java is simply far too complex a language and ecosystem to hold in the mind. Python is as ubiquitous and much easier to deal with. Really? What do you NEED to learn for Java that you don't need to learn for other languages? public static void

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Oh, I dunno. Generalizations aren't invalid as long as you don't mistake them for blanket stereotypes, and generalizations are the only possible way to describe general groups. I see no cause for offense here. --- Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 /* Be kind whenever

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

of David Crayford <0595a051454b-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> Sent: Friday, April 19, 2024 11:25 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question I’m not sure I would use Java as a REXX alternative now we h

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

Agreed Java is simply far too complex a language and ecosystem to hold in the mind. Python is as ubiquitous and much easier to deal with. On Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 10:25 AM David Crayford < 0595a051454b-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> wrote: > I’m not sure I would use Java as a REXX alternative

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

I’m not sure I would use Java as a REXX alternative now we have Python. REXX is very much legacy now. The old timers love it because it’s all they know but push come to shove Python is much easier to learn then Java with all the OO cruft. > On 19 Apr 2024, at 7:50 AM, Andrew Rowley > wrote:

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question On 18.04.2024 15:14, Bob Bridges wrote: > I don't often admit it, because I expect to get flamed for it, but in fact > when I write in VBA almost all my var

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 19.04.2024 01:50, Andrew Rowley wrote: On 18/04/2024 8:29 pm, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: The mileage of people here vary including the Java people themselves who have started to reduce the need of explicit declarations like the new "var" (imitating JavaScript) instead of strict types or

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 18.04.2024 15:14, Bob Bridges wrote: I don't often admit it, because I expect to get flamed for it, but in fact when I write in VBA almost all my variables are type VAR - that is, I hardly ever use the Dim statement to assign a type. To introduce an array, sure, or to maintain correct

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 18/04/2024 8:29 pm, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: The mileage of people here vary including the Java people themselves who have started to reduce the need of explicit declarations like the new "var" (imitating JavaScript) instead of strict types or foregoing the static main method such that one

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

I don't often admit it, because I expect to get flamed for it, but in fact when I write in VBA almost all my variables are type VAR - that is, I hardly ever use the Dim statement to assign a type. To introduce an array, sure, or to maintain correct spelling in the longer var names. But it's

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 18.04.2024 02:22, Andrew Rowley wrote: On 18/04/2024 4:39 am, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: As you know already Rexx it would be easy for you to learn about what ooRexx adds to Rexx. ... Notabene: you write one ooRexx program that will be runnable without any changes on Windows, Linux and

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 17.04.2024 21:04, Bob Bridges wrote: This whole post was fascinating me, partly because I'm still a novice at ooRexx, still wrapping my head around certain concepts (messaging being one example). I may as well say, though, that when I finally broke down and got myself a copy, I then took

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 18/04/2024 4:39 am, Rony G. Flatscher wrote: As you know already Rexx it would be easy for you to learn about what ooRexx adds to Rexx. ... Notabene: you write one ooRexx program that will be runnable without any changes on Windows, Linux and macOS. This means you develop it e.g. on

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

This whole post was fascinating me, partly because I'm still a novice at ooRexx, still wrapping my head around certain concepts (messaging being one example). I may as well say, though, that when I finally broke down and got myself a copy, I then took not one hour but two or three days off to

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 17.04.2024 02:12, Andrew Rowley wrote: On 16/04/2024 3:08 am, Jon Perryman wrote: From a language standpoint, REXX is just another language but it's real strength is it's environment integration. Instead of the caller maintaining libraries, the environment automatically integrates with

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 15.04.2024 19:08, Jon Perryman wrote: Java's not perfect, but it is powerful and it is pretty much universally available on z/OS. People don't understand the ingenuity behind REXX and don't understand the real problems it solves. From a language standpoint, REXX is just another language

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

On 16/04/2024 3:08 am, Jon Perryman wrote: From a language standpoint, REXX is just another language but it's real strength is it's environment integration. Instead of the caller maintaining libraries, the environment automatically integrates with REXX. For instance, REXX in the TSO

Re: REXX vs other languages WAS: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question

There is no automatic environment integration. There is an API that makes it easy for the developer of an application to support Rexx scripts and there are environments whose developers have exploited that API. ooRexx is not inferior in that regard. -- Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz