• The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
Menu
  • The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Optional Parameters and CL Procedures

    August 11, 2004 Hey, Ted

    In “Adding New Parameters to RPG Programs,” you stated that CL programs require that the exact number of expected parameters be passed to them. That’s not entirely true.

    If you use ILE CL (source type CLLE), you do not have to pass in the same number of parameters as expected. You can use the same technique you described in the RPG example. You would assign the parameter to the work field with CHGVAR, but monitor the assignment for message MCH3601 (“pointer not set for location referenced”). If that message is sent, you assign the default value to the work field.

    PGM        PARM(&OPTION_P &COPIES_P)
    
    DCL        VAR(&OPTION_P) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1)
    DCL        VAR(&COPIES_P) TYPE(*DEC) LEN(1)
    
    DCL        VAR(&OPTION) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1)
    DCL        VAR(&COPIES) TYPE(*DEC) LEN(1)
    
    CHGVAR     VAR(&OPTION) VALUE(&OPTION_P)
    MONMSG     MSGID(MCH3601) +
                 EXEC(CHGVAR VAR(&OPTION) VALUE(A))
    CHGVAR     VAR(&COPIES) VALUE(&COPIES_P)
    MONMSG     MSGID(MCH3601) +
                 EXEC(CHGVAR VAR(&COPIES) VALUE(1))
    

    Thanks for listening.

    –Doug

    Thanks for writing, Doug. And thanks to the other readers who corrected me as well. My comment applied only to OPM CL, which I am currently using. I haven’t done a formal study, but it seems that many iSeries shops use RPG IV along with OPM CL. One comment I’ve heard several times is that OPM supports the Retrieve CL Source (RTVCLSRC) command but ILE CL doesn’t. All I can say is that I have probably retrieved CL source code from a program object less than half a dozen times since 1988, when I first touched a System/38. Given a choice between being able to retrieve source code from the program object and being able to pass fewer than the number of defined parameters, I’d much rather have the latter ability. This seems to me an excellent reason to dump OPM CL, as many have dumped RPG III (A.K.A. RPG/400).

    Monitoring for MCH3601 has another purpose. You will need to monitor for MCH3601 if you write your own RTV-type commands. IBM‘s RTV commands, such as Retrieve Job Attributes (RTVJOBA) and Retrieve User Profile (RTVUSRPRF), can return a lot of different data, but require you to code only the parameters that interest you. If you write a CL program that processes an RTV-type command, you’ll need to monitor for MCH3601 for optional parameters.

     PGM        PARM(&OPTION &TEXT)
    
     DCL        VAR(&OPTION) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1)
     DCL        VAR(&TEXT) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(50)
    
     CHGVAR     VAR(&OPTION) VALUE(whatever...)
     MONMSG     MSGID(MCH3601)
    
     CHGVAR     VAR(&TEXT) VALUE(whatever...)
     MONMSG     MSGID(MCH3601)
    

    –Ted

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Tags:

    Sponsored by
    DRV Technologies, Inc.

    Get More from Your IBM i

    Many users today struggle to get at the data they need on the IBM i. When users get reports, they look like they were formatted some time last century.

    Some organizations are still printing pre-printed forms and checks on impact printers.

    How often do operators log on to their system to look for messages they hope they don’t find?

    All of these scenarios can affect users’ perception of the IBM platform negatively, but there are simple solutions.

    DRV Technologies Inc. develops innovative solutions that help customers get more from their IBM i systems.

    Solutions include:

    • SpoolFlex spool conversion & distribution
    • FormFlex electronic forms
    • SecureChex MICR laser check printing
    • MessageFlex system monitoring

    FlexTools streamline resources, improve efficiency and enable pro-active system management.

    Better software, better service, DRV Tech.

    Learn how you can get more from your IBM i at www.drvtech.com

    Call 866 378-3366 for a Free Demonstration

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Califon Systems Ships New Release of OS/400 Security Module Fast400 Founder Sues Big Blue

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Content archive

  • The Four Hundred
  • Four Hundred Stuff
  • Four Hundred Guru

Recent Posts

  • IBM Tweaks Some Power Systems Prices Down, Others Up
  • Disaster Recovery: From OS/400 V5R3 To IBM i 7.4 In 36 Hours
  • The Disconnect In Modernization Planning And Execution
  • Superior Support: One Of The Reasons You Pay The Power Systems Premium
  • IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 25, Number 13
  • IBM i Has a Future ‘If Kept Up To Date,’ IDC Says
  • When You Need Us, We Are Ready To Do Grunt Work
  • Generative AI: Coming to an ERP Near You
  • Four Hundred Monitor, March 22
  • IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 25, Number 12

Subscribe

To get news from IT Jungle sent to your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.

Pages

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Contributors
  • Four Hundred Monitor
  • IBM i PTF Guide
  • Media Kit
  • Subscribe

Search

Copyright © 2023 IT Jungle