REXX is never the right language unless you have no choice, such as
using an API such as SDSF or an environment such as Netview.
On 30/06/2022 11:21 am, Charles Mills wrote:
Charles knows C++ so I don't understand why he would pick REXX
One factor is that my deployment machine does not have a C++ compiler and does
not share DASD with my development machine. So for C++ the cycle is
- Edit in IDE on Windows
- Build in IDE on Windows; get to clean compile
- Upload to development machine
- Build on z/OS (hopefully no z-specific errors; if so, iterate)
- Copy load module from development to deployment (complex load module FTP)
- Test
- Repeat as necessary
For Rexx OTOH the cycle is
- Edit in text editor in Windows
- Upload to deployment machine (simple ASCII text upload)
- Test
- Repeat as necessary
You need a better IDE. I recommend Intellij.
A much faster development cycle.
I built, tested and deployed the new HLASM module and the Rexx code in about 13 hours billable
(including all the discussion here). I doubt that I could have done that with C++. There is more to
"best language for the job" than elegance, conciseness, "modernness" and
efficiency of execution.
For Python there is no way of knowing, but I think I might have spent that much time trying to get Python downloaded and
installed. IBM manages to make the most simple tasks difficult. For one of the two machines I would have had a
"business" or "legal" issue that might have taken 13 hours; certainly would have taken weeks elapsed. And
that is before any "learning Python" issues. I am sure it is a wonderful language, but I think it is wishful
thinking to say "see, you had some API issues with Rexx; therefore you would have been better off with Python." I
suspect I might have had some API issues with my first Python program. <g>
Also, I get great Rexx community support right here on this forum. Where would I go for
mainframe-specific Python community support? I'm sure there is some relevant forum, but
how active is it? OT, but I have gotten pretty unhappy with Stack Overflow. Too many
questions there now seem to draw a "not a perfect question" rebuke from some
self-important moderator.
BTW, I do think I might want to learn Python. I bought an O'Reilly textbook. I
have a six-hour flight coming up, and I think that it might be just perfect for
learning Python.
Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf
Of David Crayford
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:27 PM
To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: Some questions on SYSCALL
On 30/06/2022 5:52 am, Bernd Oppolzer wrote:
The only reason why your Python code is shorter is because you use
the builtin os.walk method to walk through the directory recursively.
Isn't that the point? Python has an enormous standard library to do
useful things. Also note the use of iterators (or generators). In most
languages I use you can turn a subroutine inside out
that returns a value using "yield". The advantages of this model should
be obvious. If you wanted to grab the first 10 items from a list of
100,000 you don't need to build the entire list as you would with REXX.
Going back to Charles original requirement and why I piped up. Charles
knows C++ so I don't understand why he would pick REXX for a z/OS UNIX
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