RE: Shelling out CRTLF via QCMDEXC -- question about success/failure -- MIDRANGE-L

Jon and AI

How you'd get the CPF-Msg which is checked in the example if only an error code is returned? ;)

When using QCMDEXC it is possible to trap the system error message!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Birgitta Hauser
Modernization – Education – Consulting on IBM i
Database and Software Architect
IBM Champion since 2020

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-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Jon Paris
Sent: Monday, 8 June 2026 23:41
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Shelling out CRTLF via QCMDEXC -- question about success/failure

Personally, I'd use the system() function. Much easier to test for errors and determine the root failure message.

Google's AI came up with this example whcih I have not tested but it looks about right.

**free
// Modern control specifications—no bnddir('QC2LE') needed!
ctl-opt dftactgrp(*no);

// Prototype for the C system() function dcl-pr runCommand int(10) extproc('system');
cmdString pointer value options(*string); end-pr;

// Import system variable to capture error message IDs dcl-s errorMsg char(7) import('_EXCP_MSGID');

// Variable to store the return code
dcl-s returnCode int(10);

// Execute a CL command directly
returnCode = runCommand('CLRPFM FILE(MYLIB/MYFILE)');

// Check for execution failure
if returnCode <> 0;
if errorMsg = 'CPF3142'; // File not found
// Handle specific error logic here
endif;
endif;

*inlr = *on;

Jon Paris
Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Jun 8, 2026, at 5:31 PM, James H. H. Lampert via MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've got a project in which I will be using a QCMDEXC call to shell out a CRTLF (from a generated source member). What is the easiest way for the calling program to determine whether the CRTLF was successful?

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JHHL
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