HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

HWIREXX provides a way of running system rexx BCPii execs in batch. It does not, however, allow for the passing of arguments to teh invoked rexx . To overcome this, you need to find a different way of passing parameters(like reading them from a dataset) which makes the process cumbersome. This is especially required as BCPii system rexx can not be issued using the MODIFY AXR command(which does allow arguments).

This is the comments session from the SHARE requirement:

SUBMITTER COMMENTS
Mike Shorkend
Posted: Jan 30, 2020 04:33 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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HWIREXX provides a way of running system rexx BCPii execs in batch. It does not, however, allow for the passing of arguments to teh invoked rexx . To overcome this, you need to find a different way of passing parameters(like reading them from a dataset) which makes the process cumbersome. This is especially required as BCPii system rexx can not be issued using the MODIFY AXR command(which does allow arguments).

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Brian Peterson
Posted: Feb 05, 2020 05:56 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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With JCL EXEC PARM= limited to 100 characters, and this interface already supporting a DSN= field, would customers begin to reach the 100 byte PARM= limit on this interface if ARGS= is added? Just wondering if ARGS= is the right answer to the problem given the limits of PARM=.

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William J. Smith, MA Ed C/I
Posted: Feb 05, 2020 09:36 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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The 100-character limitation on the PARM field was lifted some time ago with the introduction of the PARMDD parameter. Not having used HWIREXX, will it address your requirement?

Bill Smith, Trident Services, Inc.

PARMDD parameter

Use the PARMDD parameter in conjunction with a DD statement to pass variable information to the processing program executed by this job step. To use the information, the processing program must contain instructions to retrieve the information.

Specifying the PARMDD keyword causes the job to be scheduled on systems that are at or above the z/OS 2.1 level.

The DD statement can be a SYSIN DD (a DD coded as DD * or DD DATA) or it can reference a data set, UNIX System Service file or DD statement in a previous step (via DSN=*.stepname.ddname).

The PARMDD keyword is mutually exclusive with the PARM keyword.

References

For details on the format of the passed information and its retrieval, see [https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.1.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r1.ieaa600/toc.htm?view=kc](z/OS MVS Programming: Assembler Services Guide).

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Tim Hare
Posted: Feb 05, 2020 11:09 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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Perhaps allowing STMT='character string' and if coded, ignore NAME= and pass the entire statement to Rexx?
This would make it similar to how Rexx can be invoked in TSO, with the characters before the first blank becoming the name of the Rexx exec to be searched for, and everything else passed as parameters.

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Mike Shorkend
Posted: Feb 17, 2020 12:20 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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Brian - a very valid point. Hitting the 100 character PARMS limit could definitely happen. So perhaps instead of an ARGS keyword, a ARGSDD keyword should be supplied? Let's see how IBM responds to this.

Bill - PARMDD will not help in this case. The HWIREXX limitation is derived from the way that IBM calls the AXREXX macro to run the system rexx. There is a keyword on the AXREXX macro, REXXARGS which provides a way to pass arguments to the called rexx. However, this keyword is currently not exposed to HWIREXX. I could write my own interface to AXREXX but I much prefer an IBM standard solution.

Tim - yes, that would work.

Thanks for your comments

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Stan W Abramczyk, Jr
Posted: Feb 20, 2020 04:44 PM
HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

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Agreed, HWIREXX should support the passing of arguments to the invoked REXX exec

I believe this enhancement would be very helpful.