Hi Murray,

11 Jan 99, Murray Lesser of 1:109/347 wrote to Eddy Thilleman:

ML> If you want to get an idea of PL/I control structure, to see
ML> how it differs from that of Pascal, look at REXX. With respect
ML> to control structure, REXX was derived from PL/I 

REXX is a nice language

ML> in a manner similar to the way the original BASIC was derived
ML> from FORTRAN. 

I don't know FORTRAN. BASIC is limited in its capabilities, because it's
invented for the beginner. FORTRAN is a language to compute, right? FORTRAN
is that FORmula TRANslator, right?

ML> PL/I source code begins in column 2, 

Why is that?

ML> and (unless within quotes) is not case sensitive. Note, also,
ML> that only one of the following statements does any work at run
ML> time; the rest are directives to the compiler.

I'll try to interpret each line (correct me if I'm wrong):

ML> *process langlvl(saa2), limits(extname(31)), libs, not('^');

langlvl(saa2): languagelevel of SAA? Has the '2' at the end of 'saa2'
something to do with OS/2? Is it the OS/2 flavor of SAA?

limits(extname(31)): limits the parameter to length of 31 characters? 

libs = libraries?

ML>  toupper: proc(infile) options (main noexecops);

procedure toupper
does the infile stand for the input device (keyboard) ?

ML>     dcl infile char(100) var;

does this take 100 characters of the command line?

ML>     dcl translate builtin;

and using the translation rules laid out in the next two lines?

ML>     dcl (From value('abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'),
ML>          To value('ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ')) char(26);

these two lines are the translation rules?

ML>     display (translate(infile,to,from));

display the uppercased characters of the commandline

ML>   end toupper;

end procedure toupper

ML> that seems to still work OK.

If a newer version is out, does not mean that an older version suddenly
magically stops working.

ML> Such compilers let you build GUI applications with a graphic
ML> (drag and drop) application builder. 

To speed up the process bet get bloated on the way. I'm in for efficient
non-bloated code (especially when speed of development is not an issue).

ML> So, I will have to live with workarounds for any long-lived
ML> bugs I discover.

Hopefully, these bugs are not fatal to you. ;-)

Cheers   -=Eddy=-   (eddy.thilleman{at}net.hcc.nl)

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