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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Languages - RPG
Created by Guest
Created on Aug 21, 2019

RELATED IDEAS

RETURN value from REXX Procedure to RPG/ILE via Prototype

I see the QREXX API and I know about the QREXQ API, but these are cumbersome to use when all you're looking for is a single RETURNed value from REXX. It would really be helpful if RPG/ILE would support a REXX-specific prototype, similar to the JAVA-specific prototype, but allowing REXX procedures to be directly invoked from RPG and allowing RPG to directly receive a return value from the REXX RETURN instruction.


Use Case:

It would really be helpful if RPG/ILE would support a prototype similar to the following to allow REXX procedures to be directly invoked from RPG and to allow RPG to directly receive a return value from the REXX RETURN instruction.

dcl-pr MyRexxProcedure varchar(32767) extproc(*REXX: member: srcfile: library);
rexxparms varchar(32767) options(*nopass);
initcmdenv char(20) options(*nopass);
exitpgmlist char(22) dim(8) options(*nopass);
end-pr;

As a use case, this would allow a simple RPG statement such as the following -- which is much easier to set up than to go through the multiple APIs and exit programs to achieve.

value = MyRexxProcedure(inputstring);


Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Apr 17, 2020

    IBM does not intend to provide a solution to this request at this time, so it is being closed.

    The ILE RPG compiler team has quite a long list of higher priority requirements, so this request is not likely to be implemented anytime soon.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Aug 26, 2019

    Does anyone still use REXX?

  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Aug 21, 2019

    I believe Dave has the right idea here. The current interface between REXX and other HLLs, when the other HLL is the "caller" is entirely too complex, and something needs to be done to simplify that. His suggestion is one excellent alternative approach.

    It might also help if IBM could provide more and better documentation for the various REXX APIs, perhaps providing some sample code or examples to show how to use them.

    I think REXX is severely under-valued, and IBM should be promoting it, not only for IBM i use, but for use on AIX and within PASE as well.

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