Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2006 09:56:53 +0200
Reply-To: SAS-L List <sas-l@listserv.uga.edu>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Robert Bardos <bardos2@ANSYS.CH>
Subject: Re: Unused Mainframe Features
In-Reply-To: <001301c6d9bc$0ae13c10$3402a8c0@voodoolaptop1>
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... and on we go
<quote>
I do admit that I've not heard of syntax highlighting or other
enhancements you mention. Nor do I know of anyone else who has.
I guess this is not more widely known because the mainframe types
that I've run into aren't real big on sharing.
</quote>
As mentioned by Alan the syntax highlighting is somewhat crude in
that it can not be customized by end users (although the need for
this has been voiced on both IBM-MAIN and ISPF-L. [Just realized
that I refered to IBM-MAIN as IBM-L in my other post. Sorry for
that])
However here's what I use and I'm happy with it.
When editing SAS source code I enter the command 'hi other'
(abbreviated form of 'hilite other') where other is one of about
15 supported syntaxes (with z/OS 1.7 HTML was added plus one more
that I cannot recall right now.)
Anyway, if you just enter 'hi' on the command line you are
presented with a panel which lists the supported languages and
additionally has a set of flags that can be checked to specify
things like 'parentheses matching' 'color IF and DO logic' and the
like.
Give it try. And remember: your settings are stored in your ISPF
profile dataset which gets saved when you quit ISPF either by
logging out entirely or stopping at TSO's READY prompt. Should
your session get a timeout, your modifications (those made in the
current session) are lost. Remember also that the settings are
stored based on the last qualifier of the dataset. (An analogy to
this 'last-element-context-sensitivity': double-clicking on a .doc
file usually fires up Word etc.) One of the reasons why it makes
sense to have last qualifiers like .CNTL, .SAS, .REXX etc.
There's more to come
Robert Bardos
Ansys AG, Zürich, Switzerland
