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Status Future consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Languages - RPG
Created by Guest
Created on Jun 30, 2026

RELATED IDEAS

Allow access to return value in ON-EXIT section

The ON-EXIT section (sub-procedure) is great, and it's even possivle to "override" the return value from inside the ON-EXIT section:

  //.. inside procedure
  return 123;

  on-exit;
    return 456;
end-proc;

But we have no solution so far to retrieve/see the original return value.

I propose a solution to access the original return value of the *OWNER procedure from inside the ON-EXIT section - I can imagine different ideas to to that:

  1. Using the _QRNU_RETVAL variable that is supplied by specifying the DEBUG(*RETVAL) control keyword:
    Pro: this mechanic is already know by most developers
    Contra: the control keyword might have to be specified - even if it's now wanted

  //.. inside procedure
  return 123;

  on-exit;
    if _QRNU_RETVAL = 123;
      return 456;
    endif;
end-proc;

  1. Using a new %BIF that is only available inside the ON-EXIT section:
    Pro: no control keyword necessary
    Contra: ?

  //.. inside procedure
  return 123;

  on-exit;
    if %retval() = 123;
      return 456;
    endif;
end-proc;

Both solutions provide a good way to access the return value.

Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Jul 30, 2026
    IBM will use this Idea as input to planning, but no commitment is made or implied. This Idea will be updated in the future if IBM implements it. IBM will use votes and comments from others in the community to help prioritize this Idea.

    If this Idea is implemented, it would most likely use the %RETVAL suggestion.

    However, there would be special rules for %RETVAL() for procedures that return a data structure or an array. For those procedures, the programmer would need to assign %RETVAL() to a variable defined the same way as the return value.

    For example:

    dcl-proc proc1;
    dcl-pi *n likeds(ds1) end-pi;
    dcl-s on_exit_retval likeds(ds1);

    on-exit;
    on_exit_retval = %retval();
    if on_exit_retval.subf = 123;
    on_exit_retval.subf = 456;
    return on_exit_retval;
    endif;
    end-proc;

    - IBM Power Systems Development
    Reply

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