On 27 Jun 2010 07:30:35 -0700, in bit.listserv.ibm-main you wrote: >On 06/26/2010 09:16 PM, Ted MacNEIL wrote: >>> But here we are talking about a case of manipulating directory entries >>> and internal content of an Operating-system-specific construct, a PDS. > >> >> I can do that with REXX and ISPF Library Management Services -- no HLASM on >> my part. >> > > >This prompted me to check latest ISPF manuals for LM services to see if >I had missed something new. I see the the member delete service that >has always been there, but there is still no PDS reset function (like in >the CBT PDS utility). I wouldn't call deleting all individual members >via ISPF LM services a viable production approach except for a PDS with >a small number of members, or perhaps for a one time exercise. Going >that route starts off requiring an order of magnitude more processing >resources than a "reset" for even a small PDS and gets exponentially >worse as the number of members increases. > >My unquoted remarks after the quoted sentence were: >"Higher-level languages like COBOL, that are deliberately designed to be >machine-independent, provide no syntax to specify actions on that level. > It just can't be done without depending at some point on code written >in Assembler - either a local utility or some vendor utility."
Until IBM provides a language or variant such as a systems flavor of C/C++ that has access to all of the facilities (including the peculiar linking conventions for some JES exits, any management that does not keep access to assembler expertise is playing with fire. Assembler can be largely self taught by looking at generated code from the HLL of choice although a course on Macros was helpful. Clark Morris > >The LM management Services callable from REXX are of course vendor >supplied utilities probably written in Assembler, not part of the REXX >language itself, which simply re-makes my point that to do >machine-dependent type things you have to go outside the >machine-independent high-level language. The issue in this case becomes >one of whether you use Assembler-implemented utilities that your >installation writes and maintains or Assembler-implemented utilities >from some other source. I don't know of any IBM utilities or >non-Assembler interfaces included with z/OS that do a PDS RESET, but >perhaps they exist. This capability certainly exists in freebie >utlities on the CBT collection, or non-free vendor product alternatives >if management insists that all utilities used have full maintenance support. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
