IIRC, system symbol values CAN NOT be longer than the name of the symbol (including the ampersand).
>>> Martin Kline <martin.kl...@yrcw.com> 7/27/2009 2:58 PM >>> My test showed system symbols were replaced by removing or adding characters as necessary. (Because I can't remember exactly how to get ampersands to diplay correctly on the list server and I'm too lazy to look it up, my examples will use pound signs, '#', instead). For example '---#SYSNAME---' is displayed as '---SYS1---'. At least on the 1.9 release I have installed. This does NOT display as '---SYS1 ---'. My advice is if you depend on exact positioning for the other characters on the screen such as drawing a box around your data, or drawing a pic of a dinosaur (like I do), then use SBA orders to position the trailing data correctly. As Chris indicated, the other non-system symbols that can be replaced do specify what happens with alignment, spaces, numerics, etc. The issue is with the system symbols, because the names of the variables may be either longer or shorter than the values that get substituted. Bonus question: If your USS message contains SBA orders, and the address happens to end in X'7C', such as such as X'11C17C' for row 2 column 45 on an 80-character wide screen, and the following characters happen to match one of the allowed keywords, what happens? Likewise, what happens when the SBA happens to end in X'50'? Chris said: >I too would be interested in testing mainly because the manner in which the >MVS system symbol is inserted totally absent from the description, a >deficiency on a par with the botched way in which this new function has >been described. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 CONFIDENTIALITY/EMAIL NOTICE: The material in this transmission contains confidential and privileged information intended only for the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you have received this material in error and that any forwarding, copying, printing, distribution, use or disclosure of the material is strictly prohibited. If you have received this material in error, please (i) do not read it, (ii) reply to the sender that you received the message in error, and (iii) erase or destroy the material. Emails are not secure and can be intercepted, amended, lost or destroyed, or contain viruses. You are deemed to have accepted these risks if you communicate with us by email. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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