PL/I for AS400
robin
PL/I on the IBM AS400
=====================
IBM's PL/I on the AS400 is a powerful subset of the PL/I language.
It provides strong commercial and scientific facilities.
Among those facilities that we have come to expect of a PL/I
are included:
* PICTURE data
* decimal fixed-point arithmetic
* floating-point arithmetic
* complex arithmetic
* character strings (fixed-length and varying-length)
* bit strings (fixed-length and verying-length)
* stream-oriented I/O
formatted and free-format input/output
* record-oriented I/O
sequential and random access I/O
* error handling
The ERROR, ENDFILE, ENDPAGE, KEY, TRANSMIT, and
UNDEFINEDFILE conditions can be specified in
ON and SIGNAL statements.
The CONVERSION, FIXEDOVERFLOW, RECORD, STORAGE,
STRINGSIZE, UNDERFLOW, and ZERODIVIDE conditions
cannot be specified in ON and SIGNAL statements.
However, they can be intercepted by an ON-unit
for the ERROR condition and identified via
the ONCODE built-in function.
* dynamic storage allocation: automatic and CONTROLLED
* STATIC storage allocation
OSITim
PL/I is the forgotten AS/400 language though. It was written for the System/38
in order to get EDS to buy it, and it has only had minor improvements since
then.
Furthermore, as of V3R6, PL/I is only obtainable as a PRPQ and IBM will
provide no support.
This change of status is actually making explicit what has been true for years
though. The people at Toronto get downright hostile when you try to report
PL/I bugs. And I have waited sometimes for over two years for a bug fix.
It is a shame that IBM created such a crippled subset of the languare then
refused to enhance it, support it, or market it. And then, withdrew it with the
statement that there is no market for it.
robin
osi...@aol.com (OSITim) writes:
>PL/I is the forgotten AS/400 language though.
You can view the on-line manual at:
http://as400bks.rochester.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr/bookmgr.cmd/BOOKS/QBKAQ000/CCONTENTS
or thereabouts.
If you have trouble looking for it, do a search on
"PL/I User's Guide and Reference"
>It is a shame that IBM created such a crippled subset of the languare then
>refused to enhance it, support it, or market it.
What? AS400 PL/I implements ANSI standard PL/I. It's
scarcely "crippled". It's a substantial subset of the
language, and implements most of the facilities.
All the data types are present, except fixed-point
binary fractions. Full fixed-point DECIMAL arithmetic
is provided -- with fractions. FIXED BINARY (integer)
is present. And so are FLOAT, CHARACTER and BIT.
And it has a number of built-in functions specific for the
AS400 environment.
>And then, withdrew it with the
>statement that there is no market for it.
It's still available.
OSITim
> >PL/I is the forgotten AS/400 language though.
>
> or thereabouts. If you have trouble looking for it, do a search on
>"PL/I User's Guide and Reference"
Thank you for the road map to PL/I manuals but after eight years of using the
language on the AS/400, the manulas are indelibly imprinted on my retinas.
BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED. Four years ago we got an errata sheet. That was
the last modification.
>>It is a shame that IBM created such a crippled subset of the languare then
>>refused to enhance it, support it, or market it.
>
>What? AS400 PL/I implements ANSI standard PL/I. It's
>scarcely "crippled". It's a substantial subset of the
>language, and implements most of the facilities.
>
> All the data types are present, except fixed-point
>binary fractions. Full fixed-point DECIMAL arithmetic
>is provided -- with fractions. FIXED BINARY (integer)
>is present. And so are FLOAT, CHARACTER and BIT.
>
>And it has a number of built-in functions specific for the
>AS400 environment.
The PL/I inmplemented by the AS/400 is not an ANSI standard. It is Subset G of
PL/I specifically designed by IBM to say it had a compiler on the System/38 so
it could sell System/38's to GM.
Of the many features that AS/400 PL/I lacks is: Controlled Storage, most of
the trappable conditions, File Variables, Prefixes, Arrays with LBOUND other
than 1. GENERIC parameters and the list goes on...
Just go take a look at some of the code examples on IBM's own PL/I web page, I
couldn't find a single one that could be compiled on an AS/400.
>
>>And then, withdrew it with the
>>statement that there is no market for it.
>
>It's still available.
In V3R2 PL/I was sold as 5763-PLI liscensed program. In V3R6 forward it is sold
only as a PRPQ strictly as is with no support. IBM's statement is "customers
are encouraged to move to the ILE-languages"
Which brings up another sore subject... PL/I does not support the ILE
environment on AS/400 eventhough it is the language that most clearly inspired
it. With its concept of a Run Unit and Static, Automatic storage, and
External/Internal scope.
PL/I is not year 2000 compliant on AS/400 and there are no tools to examine
PL/I source code available.
Finally, any reference to PL/I has been stricken from virtually all the AS/400
reference manuals. All the code examples are in unreadable RPG or inscrutable
C.
So I stand by my statement the PL/I on the AS/400 is doomed. And I am sure all
six other AS/400 PL/I shops agree with me.
Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz
robin wrote:
> >It
> What? AS400 PL/I implements ANSI standard PL/I.
The G subset, not the full ANSI standard. Plus the other IBM PL/I
compilers have features that aren't in ANSI PL/I. That qualifies as
"crippled" in my book.
--
Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz
Senior Software SE
EDS
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reply to domain exse01.exch.eds.com, user seymour.metz.
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robin
osi...@aol.com (OSITim) writes:
>> >PL/I is the forgotten AS/400 language though.
>>
>>You can view the on-line manual at: http://blah, blah, blah
>> or thereabouts. If you have trouble looking for it, do a search on
>>"PL/I User's Guide and Reference"
>Thank you for the road map to PL/I manuals but after eight years of using the
>language on the AS/400, the manulas are indelibly imprinted on my retinas.
>BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED.
Well, then, you might like to look at the on-line
copy, because that's the 1994 edition!
Four years ago we got an errata sheet. That was
>the last modification.
>>>It is a shame that IBM created such a crippled subset of the languare
They didn't "create" it. It's an ANSI standard.
>then
>>>refused to enhance it, support it, or market it.
The existence of an online manual constitutes marketing.
and is evidence of support.
The compiler cited in the on-ine manual is Version 3,
Release 1, so there is ample evidence of on-going support.
Your own note below indicates that, since that 1994 edition,
there have been 5 more releases (up to release 6).
Support, no?
>>What? AS400 PL/I implements ANSI standard PL/I. It's
>>scarcely "crippled". It's a substantial subset of the
>>language, and implements most of the facilities.
>>
>> All the data types are present, except fixed-point
>>binary fractions. Full fixed-point DECIMAL arithmetic
>>is provided -- with fractions. FIXED BINARY (integer)
>>is present. And so are FLOAT, CHARACTER and BIT.
>>
>>And it has a number of built-in functions specific for the
>>AS400 environment.
>The PL/I inmplemented by the AS/400 is not an ANSI standard.
Indeed it is. If you read the online manual, you will see that
it's ANSI standard X3.74-1981
There are extensions, based on full PL/I,
as described in ANSI standard X3.53-1976, and
AS400 PL/I supports a number of additional extensions
compatible with IBM's other PL/I compilers..
>It is Subset G of
>PL/I specifically designed by IBM to say it had a compiler on the System/38 so
>it could sell System/38's to GM.
>Of the many features that AS/400 PL/I lacks is: Controlled Storage, most of
>the trappable conditions,
Pretty well most -- if not all-- of the conditions are
trappable. Which ones do you think are not trappable?
File Variables, Prefixes, Arrays with LBOUND other
>than 1. GENERIC parameters and the list goes on...
??????????
I think you mean "generic procedures".
Might be more constructive to list what's available . . . .
>Just go take a look at some of the code examples on IBM's own PL/I web page, I
>couldn't find a single one that could be compiled on an AS/400.
There are many examples in the online AS400 PL/I manual,
and they can be compiled on an AS400.
>>>And then, withdrew it with the
>>>statement that there is no market for it.
>>
>>It's still available.
>In V3R2 PL/I was sold as 5763-PLI liscensed program. In V3R6 forward it is sold
>only as a PRPQ strictly as is with no support. IBM's statement is "customers
>are encouraged to move to the ILE-languages"
>Which brings up another sore subject... PL/I does not support the ILE
>environment on AS/400 eventhough it is the language that most clearly inspired
>it. With its concept of a Run Unit and Static, Automatic storage, and
>External/Internal scope.
>PL/I is not year 2000 compliant on AS/400 and there are no tools to examine
>PL/I source code available.
Year 2000 date stuff for PL/I is available from
the web page http://www.cs.rmit.edu.au/~rav....
>Finally, any reference to PL/I has been stricken from virtually all the AS/400
>reference manuals.
Not the PL/I manual.
All the code examples are in unreadable RPG or inscrutable
>C.
>So I stand by my statement the PL/I on the AS/400 is doomed. And I am sure all
>six other AS/400 PL/I shops agree with me.
Don't you think tha a more postitive attitude
will go a long way to promoting the use of the
language --
particularly as most of your statements about
PL/I on the AS400 are demonstrably wrong?