Hi Mark,
The ?n? means "insert the value of parameter n". Where n is a number
from 1-64 (the maximum number of parameters allowed). So ?4? means
"insert the value of parameter 4"
For example, if you had an OCL proc like this:
// * 'VALUE OF PARM 4 = ?4?'
you could run it from the command line like this:
> MYPROC A,B,C,D
VALUE OF PARM 4 = D
And the procedure would print "VALUE OF PARM 4 = D" since D was passed
in the 4th parameter. (Yes, OCL parameters are separated by commas)
When you follow that 4 with an R, it means that the parameter is
required. If the user didn't pass it, it'll stop and ask the user for
the parameter. So you might have this:
// * 'VALUE OF PARM 4 = ?4R?'
And you could call the procedure as follows:
> MYPROC A,B,C
Enter Missing Parameter
> D
VALUE OF PARM 4 = D
Since there was no parameter 4, it'll stop and say "Enter missing
parameter", and expect you to type the contents of parameter 4. On the
other hand, if you did provide parameter 4 as an actual parameter, it
won't stop, because it has data, it'll just print it out.
So the 'R' means "required". It doesn't always mean the user will be
prompted, but if there isn't already a value in parameter 4, then it'll
ask the user for the value. If there _is_ a value, it won't ask.
Now most OCL procedures in my experience don't actually use parameters
at all... but they still use the 64 parameter spaces as
"placeholders", so they'll code a procedure more like this:
// * 'ENTER YEAR OF AP FILE, EX: 82'
// FILE NAME-INPUT,LABEL-APFILE?4R?
// FILE NAME-OUTPUT,LABEL-OUTP?4R?
So if the user keyed in 10 (for 2010) it'd access a file named APFILE10.
The output is going to go to a file named OUTP10 as well.
Technically, it's using a parameter field to store that 10, but the
program doesnt' really expect you to pass the 10 as a parameter, it's
just a convenient way to ask for data.
Is there documentation online? Sure...
http://publibfp.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr/BOOKS/QBKAUR00/CCONTENTS?SHELF=qbkayc02&DN=SC41-3731-00&DT=19940427134655
or
http://tinyurl.com/35fluty
Welcome to the S/36! :)
On 5/18/2010 2:14 PM, Mark Murphy/STAR BASE Consulting Inc. wrote:
Does anyone know of any on-line OCL documentation? I can deduce some of
it, but some things are totally foreign.
For example I have a line that goes like this:
// IF ?4R?/Y IF ?7R?/Y GOTO TMCD
I believe that first ?4R? is retrieving input from the screen, and if it
is a Y then it does the second IF. No prompts or anything, it just waits
for more input from the screen? or uses the previous input? What are the
4 and 7 for? Are these just variable placeholders? ?7? is not set
directly in the procedure, other than the R there. If ?7? is a Y it
should go to the label, but what would cause that? Just user input
without any prompt?
Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
midrange.com
