(cross-posting to IBM-Main and TSO-REXX)
On 2020-09-08, at 00:23:52, CM Poncelet wrote:
>
> A *character* string is either any string that has DATATYPE CHAR but not
> DATATYPE NUM, or is *any* string (and it might as well then be called
> 'anything string' instead of 'character string').
>
You're motivating me to an RCF. I invite emendations
before I submit it:
Hello, MHVRCFs,
In: z/OS Version 2 Release 4
TSO/E REXX Reference IBM SA32-0972-40
I see numerous instances of "character string", and
fewer of simply "string". I believe this is a
distinction without a difference. If there is a
difference between "character string" and "string"
it should be explained in an introductory chapter.
Otherwise, "character string" is a pleonasm and
its every occurrence should be changed simply to
"string".
This has led one reader to misunderstand that
"character string" means only a string for which
the DATATYPE() function returns CHAR.
There are several occurrences of "a single character
string". This is ambiguous. I believe in each case
it means "exactly one string", but it might be
misunderstood as "a string containing exactly one
character". This ambiguity would be removed by
rephrasing as simply "a single string".
Under "Tokens" the document should clarify as:
String constanta are denotations of string
values. A string constant may have one of
four forms:
Constant Symbols
A constant symbol is a symbol starting with
'.' or a number or to which no value has been
assigned.
Literal Strings
[ ... ]
The sentence,
A literal string with no characters (that is, a
string of length 0) is called a null string.
is misplaced and overspecified. A null string may also
be represented by a hexadecimal string (''X), a binary
string (''B), or by an expression. This is adequately
described under "Expressions" and should be omitted
from "Literal Strings".
Hexadecimal Strings
[ .... ]
Binary Strings
[ .... ]
Under "Expressions":
Expressions
...
Terms include:
• Literal Strings (delimited by quotation marks),
which are constants
An overspecification. Hexadecimal strings and Binary strings
are also allowed. Simply "Strings" would suffice. (There
should be a period at the end of that sentence.)
Thanks,
gil
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