REXX for CA JCLCheck and JCLNeat › Overview

Overview

The REXX interface is another method that a Standards Administrator can use to enforce data center standards. R(estructured) EX(tended) (e)X(ecutor) is a programming language that includes a variety of environment commands and a host of mathematical functions. It provides a high degree of flexibility, which gives the Standards Administrator a number of variables to use to build logical decisions.

The advantages of using REXX for standards control are:

• The ability to do complex logical analysis
• Full Boolean IF statement capability
• Isolation from CA JCLCheck internal changes
• Recoding of exits is not required for subsequent versions
• Use of a structured programming language
• SAA compatibility
• Ease of debugging/testing
• Support for both upper and lowercase message text

REXX programs are known as EXECs. You need to have a fundamental understanding of the programming language to create these EXECs. (If you are unfamiliar with REXX, you may be able to replicate the coding convention using the sample REXX EXEC supplied in the CAZ2CLS0 library). REXX standards run under both TSO/E and non-TSO/E environments.

Important! For information regarding the various REXX function calls used in the REXX programming language, see functions in the TSO Extensions Version 2 Procedures Language MVS/REXX Reference Manual.

CA JCLCheck and JCLNeat provide you with a sample REXX EXEC (program). Use these EXECs as templates to create your own standards REXX EXECs. The EXEC in the CAZ2CLS0 library for CA JCLCheck is CAZ1REXX. The EXEC in the CAZ2CLS0 library for JCLNeat is CAZ1NREX.

Note: You must use the sample EXEC initially to design your EXEC because the REXX interface keeps track of certain conditions throughout execution (that is, calling the appropriate subroutines based on statement type) that are defined to CA JCLCheck (or JCLNeat) execution.