Re: A short program

boldt@ca.ibm.com wrote:

Resending as the previous send came back into my mailbox chopped.

>Others have submitted entries that actually directly list
>the source code, but I consider that cheating and not
>within the spirit of the challenge. Here's a REXX program
>that fits the bill and doesn't read source from any outside
>files (or take advantage of the REXX SOURCELINE cheat):
>
>/**/q='7f'x;b=';say a

??q??a??q??b';a="/**/q='7f'x;b=';say
>a??q??a??q??b';a=";say a??q??a??q??b
>
>(Make sure the above fits in one source record.)
>
>It is a long-standing programming challenge that can be
>used to compare the expressive power of various
>programming languages.  As far as I can tell, the shortest
>RPG program that does this without reading any input
>files is 29 records long.

Hans,

That's brilliant. I can't compete with that. Hell, I can't even read it.
:-) Unfortunately you were the only one clever/academic enough to grasp the
true spirit of the challenge, including the task setter. :-)

As for the RPG only version (without reading input files) I can beat your
29 records by 6.

     FQSYSPRT O   F      80            PRINTER
     E                    @LN     1  12 80
     C                     MOVEL'**'      @LN,12
     C                     DO   2
     C                     DO   12        IX      30
     C                     EXCPT
     C                     ENDDO
     C                     MOVE *BLANK    @LN,12         LR
     C                     ENDDO
     OQSYSPRT E
     O                         @LN,IX    80
**
     FQSYSPRT O   F      80            PRINTER
     E                    @LN     1  12 80
     C                     MOVEL'**'      @LN,12
     C                     DO   2
     C                     DO   12        IX      30
     C                     EXCPT
     C                     ENDDO
     C                     MOVE *BLANK    @LN,12         LR
     C                     ENDDO
     OQSYSPRT E
     O                         @LN,IX    80

Any advances?

Dave Kahn, ABB Steward Ltd.