marcus@pyuxt.UUCP (M. G. Hand) (12/12/84)
Excerpt from instructions on transferring large files from Unix systems to
a mainframe for printing:
"... once the tape is done, you can run a standard IBM utility
like IEBGENER to print it on a high speed printer."
And they say Unix command names are obscure...
--
Marcus Hand {ihnp4!}pyuxt!marcusrcd@opus.UUCP (12/19/84)
> "... once the tape is done, you can run a standard IBM utility > like IEBGENER to print it on a high speed printer." > > And they say Unix command names are obscure... Not half, they aren't! If you think the description above is cryptic, realize that it's only a glimpse into a bizarre universe... IEBGENER is the utility you use to copy things. Don't be confused by the fact that there is an IEBCOPY, which does something else entirely. And to delete files, you use IEFBR14. This wonderfully mnemonic name is derived from a magic IBM prefix (IEF) and a branch instruction (Branch Register 14) which is effectively a do-nothing program, since register 14 is the standard place for the "return address" of a main program. Huh? Delete a file...oh yeah, we were talking about that...well, you delete files as a side-effect of running a program, so IEFBR14 gives you a harmless program which can be run for its side effect. [Interesting side-side issue: You may have heard the quip that "Every program has at least one bug and can be shortened by at least one instruction"--from which, by induction, one can deduce that every program can be reduced to one instruction which doesn't work. IEFBR14, if written as the obvious, single-instruction program " BR 14", does NOT work. Reason: It fails to set a proper value for its return code, which means that it may fail mysteriously. An entertaining rumor has it that this bug actually existed in IEFBR14 once. But don't get too cocky--the same bug also exists in the UNIX world, since many C programs terminate by falling out the bottom of the main program and most C startup routines simply take whatever garbage return value this produces as the exit status of the program.] -- Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086 ...Are you making this up as you go along?
mat@amdahl.UUCP (Mike Taylor) (12/22/84)
> IEFBR14, if written > as the obvious, single-instruction program " BR 14", does NOT work. > Reason: It fails to set a proper value for its return code, which means > that it may fail mysteriously. An entertaining rumor has it that this bug > actually existed in IEFBR14 once. But don't get too cocky--the same bug > also exists in the UNIX world, since many C programs terminate by falling > out the bottom of the main program and most C startup routines simply take > whatever garbage return value this produces as the exit status of the > program.] > -- > Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086 > ...Are you making this up as you go along? It's true. The bug did exist, and was duly APAR'ed (IBM-ese for reported) and fixed. In fact, I believe there have been three APAR's (problem reports) against IEFBR14. This was so long ago I don't remember what the others were ? Does any OS/360/370 trivia buff remember ? -- Mike Taylor ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,sun}!amdahl!mat [ This may not reflect my opinion, let alone anyone else's. ]
angel@adrvax.UUCP (El lobo solitario) (12/22/84)
But don't forget:
IEWL is the name of the link editor,
IEV90 is the name of the assembler,
IEL0AA is the Pl/1 compiler,
IEFAAB is the Fortran compiler,
IKFCBL00 is the Cobol compiler,
etc............
Very easy to remember right ??
--
Angel Casado
{Las mulas son lentas pero la tierra es paciente.}
... !allegra!princeton!adrvax!angelag5@pucc-k (Basket Case) (12/28/84)
<<>>
Now, now... Let's not all bitch at IBM for obscure names...
For every one of those facilities listed in <56@adrvax.UUCP> there
is also a cataloged procedure (i.e., canned JCL) which is called by
a reasonable name which IBM provides with MVS...
The names that you see (i.e., IEWL, etc.) are generally internal
names. If you insist on doing unusual business that can't be handled
by the cataloged procedures, then you get to deal with these.
--
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