Re: Shelling out CRTLF via QCMDEXC -- question about success/failure

For me, I tend to use system() if I need to know what message caused the error, but don't care about the message text or substitution variables.

That is probably 90%+ of all cases.

I like system() because its intent is obvious (unlike the SQL examples) and easy to test for an error. Most times all you want is "did it work".


Jon Paris
[email protected]



> On Jun 9, 2026, at 10:57 AM, Rob Berendt <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> I was a big fan of system(), until I was not.  I forget why.  Others have
> alluded to the ease of getting the error with QCAPCMD instead.  Perhaps
> that was it.
> 
> On Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 8:35 AM Vern Hamberg via MIDRANGE-L <
> [email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Birgitta
>> 
>> Yes, the system() function returns an integer, 0 if the command is
>> successful. And, according to the reference, we have this -
>> 
>>> If the system() function fails, the global variable _EXCP_MSGID in
>>> <stddef.h> is set with the exception message ID.
>> 
>> *Regards*
>> 
>> *Vern Hamberg*
>> 
>> IBM Champion 2025 <cid:[email protected]> CAAC
>> (COMMON Americas Advisory Council) IBM Influencer 2023
>> 
>> 
>> On 6/9/2026 1:53 AM, Birgitta Hauser wrote:
>>> Jon and AI
>>> 
>>> How you'd get the CPF-Msg which is checked in the example if only an
>> error code is returned? ;)
>>> 
>>> When using QCMDEXC it is possible to trap the system error message!
>>> 
>>> Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards
>>> 
>>> Birgitta Hauser
>>> Modernization – Education – Consulting on IBM i
>>> Database and Software Architect
>>> IBM Champion since 2020
>>> 
>>> "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
>> (Les Brown)
>>> "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek Bok)
>>> "What is worse than training your staff and losing them? Not training
>> them and keeping them!"
>>> "Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so
>> they don't want to. " (Richard Branson)
>>> "Learning is experience … everything else is only information!" (Albert
>> Einstein)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: MIDRANGE-L<[email protected]> On Behalf Of
>> Jon Paris
>>> Sent: Monday, 8 June 2026 23:41
>>> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion<[email protected]>
>>> Subject: Re: Shelling out CRTLF via QCMDEXC -- question about
>> success/failure
>>> 
>>> Personally, I'd use the system() function.  Much easier to test for
>> errors and determine the root failure message.
>>> 
>>> Google's AI came up with this example whcih I have not tested but it
>> looks about right.
>>> 
>>> **free
>>> // Modern control specifications—no bnddir('QC2LE') needed!
>>> ctl-opt dftactgrp(*no);
>>> 
>>> // Prototype for the C system() function dcl-pr runCommand int(10)
>> extproc('system');
>>>   cmdString pointer value options(*string); end-pr;
>>> 
>>> // Import system variable to capture error message IDs dcl-s errorMsg
>> char(7) import('_EXCP_MSGID');
>>> 
>>> // Variable to store the return code
>>> dcl-s returnCode int(10);
>>> 
>>> // Execute a CL command directly
>>> returnCode = runCommand('CLRPFM FILE(MYLIB/MYFILE)');
>>> 
>>> // Check for execution failure
>>> if returnCode <> 0;
>>>   if errorMsg = 'CPF3142'; // File not found
>>>     // Handle specific error logic here
>>>   endif;
>>> endif;
>>> 
>>> *inlr = *on;
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Jon Paris
>>> [email protected]
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Jun 8, 2026, at 5:31 PM, James H. H. Lampert via MIDRANGE-L<
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I've got a project in which I will be using a QCMDEXC call to shell out
>> a CRTLF (from a generated source member). What is the easiest way for the
>> calling program to determine whether the CRTLF was successful?
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> JHHL
>>>> --
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