Re: Command Processing Multiple Values with RPG

Daniel Gross <[email protected]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 03:51:49 +0100
Newsgroups	gmane.comp.lang.as400.rpg
Message-ID	<[email protected]>
P.S.: This is how the parameter should be defined in RPG in your case:

dcl-ds address_parm qualified;
  entries uns(5); // actual number of addresses 
  dcl-ds entry dim(10);
    elements uns(5); // in this case always 2
    address char(100);
    state char(2);
  end-ds;
end-ds;

Now hopefully that makes sense.


> Am 12.11.2025 um 03:21 schrieb Daniel Gross <[email protected]>:
> 
> Hi Peter,
> 
> when the CL manual is referring to a "mixed list" parameter, it means, that you have a parameter defined with multiple elements.
> 
> For example something like the LOG parameter of the CHGJOB command:
> 
>    LOG(4 0 *SECLVL)
> 
> This is already a mixed list with 3 elements.
> 
> Therefore the like always has a binary prefix of 0x0003 - and then the elements as if they were defined as single parameters. That binary prefix is ALWAYS 0x0003 for an mixed list with 3 parts - it only changes to 0x0001 if you have the *SNGVAL option set for the parameter.
> 
> Now in your case, you have a "list of mixed lists":
> 
>> PARM KWD(...) TYPE(ADDDEF) MIN(1) MAX(10)
>> 
>> ADDDEF: ELEM TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(100) ...
>>                  ELEM  TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(2) ...
> 
> 
> You will receive a parameter consisting of:
> 
> - binary number of actually list entries
>   example: 0x0002 = 2 entries
> - 1st list entry
>   - binary number of mixed list elements
>      fix: 0x0002 = 2 elements in mixed list
>      - char(100)
>      - char(2)
> - 2nd list entry
>   - binary number of mixed list elements
>      fixed: 0x0002 = 2 elements in mixed list
>      - char(100)
>      - char(2)
> 
> So the list of mixed lists is prefixed with the actual number of values entered in the command.
> 
> And wvery mixed list entry of that list is itself prefixed with the number of elements in the mixed list.
> 
> I know this looks puzzling at first, but makes sense if the mixed list uses the *SNGVAL option. And it also makes sense, when you look at the actual command line:
> 
>   ADDRESS( ('...' '...') ('...' '...') )
> 
> This is a "list of lists" - as each entry itself is enclosed in ( ) - and the whole list parameter is enclosed in ( ).
> 
> I hope this all makes some sense now. Here are the IC pages to read about "simple lists" and "mixed lists" - you have to combine both to get to the "list of mixed lists" type of parameter:
> 
> -> https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.6.0?topic=dslcp-using-cl-other-hlls-simple-list-cl-command-parameters
> 
> -> https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.6.0?topic=parameter-defining-mixed-list-cl-command
> 
> HTH
> Daniel
> 
> 
>> Am 12.11.2025 um 02:05 schrieb Peter Dow <[email protected]>:
>> 
>> What does the command look like?
>> 
>> An "always 0003" before the data implies to me it's telling you how many elements there are in a parameter, e.g. JOB(nbr user name) has 3 elements, job number, job userid, and job name.
>> 
>> --
>> *Peter Dow* /
>> 909 793-9050
>> [email protected]
>> /
>> 
>>>> On 11/11/2025 1:10 PM, Brad Stone wrote:
>>> Heres some example data I'm seeing and some notes  There is always 0003
>>> before the data itself.  It's messed up.  More reading to do I guess.
>>> 
>>> 1 parameter
>>> 00010004 0003C2E5 E2E3D6D6 D3E2D2E2   - ......BVSTOOLSKS       4=Offset
>>> after length ?
>>> F1F1F340 4040D7A3 85A2A340 A689A388   - 113   Ptest with
>>> 
>>> 2 parameters
>>> 00020019 00060003 C2E5E2E3 D6D5C540   - ........BVSTONE        6=Offset
>>> after length x19=25 offset to #2 after length
>>> D2E2F1F1 F3404040 D70003C2 E5E2E3D6   - KS113   P..BVSTO
>>> D6D3E2D2 E2F1F1F3 404040D7 A385A2A3   - OLSKS113   Ptest
>>> 
>>> 3 parameters
>>> 0003002E 001B0008 0003C1D5 D6E3C8C5   - ..........ANOTHE       8=Offset
>>> after length x2E=46 offset to #3 after length x1B=27 offset to #2 after
>>> length
>>> D940D2D2 D2D2D240 4040D700 03C2E5E2   - R KKKKK   P..BVS
>>> E3D6D5C5 40D2E2F1 F1F34040 40D70003   - TONE KS113   P..
>>> C2E5E2E3 D6D6D3E2 D2E2F1F1 F3404040   - BVSTOOLSKS113
>>> 
>>> 4 parameters
>>> 00040043 0030001D 000A0003 C6D6E4D9   - ...ä........FOUR
>>> x0A/10=Offset after length x43=67 x30=48 x1D=16
>>> E3C84040 D6D5C540 40404040 D70003C1   - TH  ONE     P..A
>>> D5D6E3C8 C5D940D2 D2D2D2D2 404040D7   - NOTHER KKKKK   P
>>> 0003C2E5 E2E3D6D5 C540D2E2 F1F1F340   - ..BVSTONE KS113
>>> 4040D700 03C2E5E2 E3D6D6D3 E2D2E2F1   -   P..BVSTOOLSKS1
>>> F1F34040 40D7A385 A2A340A6 89A38840   - 13   Ptest with
>>> 
>>>> On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 3:08 PM Brad Stone<[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Will do.
>>>> 
>>>> The first one appears to be close to what I am figuring out.  I'll dig
>>>> deeper.  Thanks again.
>>>> 
>>>>> On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM Peter Dow<[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Brad,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Try the "CL Programming" manual, SC41-5721-05, the section on "Defining
>>>>> Lists for Parameters". It has examples on exactly what is passed to the
>>>>> CPP.
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> *Peter Dow* /
>>>>> 909 793-9050
>>>>> [email protected]
>>>>> /
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 11/11/2025 12:37 PM, Brad Stone wrote:
>>>>>> I have a few RPG programs that are processing programs for CMD
>>>>> interfaces.
>>>>>> Some have the option to send multiple values.  I've always just defined
>>>>> the
>>>>>> parameter as a data structure with a binary value to hold the "count" of
>>>>>> options.. For example:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> PARM       KWD(NAME) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(60) MIN(1) +
>>>>>>              MAX(10) CASE(*MIXED) PROMPT('Name')
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> dcl-ds NameDSDef Qualified;
>>>>>>   NumName Bindec(4) Pos(1);
>>>>>>   Name char(60) dim(10); //*NONE
>>>>>> end-ds;
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The the parameter is defined as:
>>>>>> NameList likeds(NameDSDef);
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> This filles the Name.Name array as it should.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> But now I have parameters that have multiple parts to them and it's not
>>>>>> working quite the same way.
>>>>>> PARM       KWD(ADDRESS) TYPE(ADDDEF) MIN(1) +
>>>>>>              MAX(10) PROMPT('Address')
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> ADDDEF:     ELEM       TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(100) CASE(*MIXED) +
>>>>>>                          PROMPT('Address')
>>>>>>                      ELEM       TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(2) +
>>>>>>                          PROMPT('State')
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> dcl-ds AddressDSDef Qualified;
>>>>>>   NumAddress Bindec(4) Pos(1);
>>>>>>   Address char(100) dim(10);
>>>>>>   State char(2) dim(10);
>>>>>> end-ds;
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Then the parameter is defined as:
>>>>>> AddressList likeds(AddressDSDef);
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> This seems to add more data in the front, not just the count.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Let's say there are 3 items in the list.... The string appears to be
>>>>>> count, offset to item 3, offset to item 2, offset to item 1, x'0003',
>>>>> then
>>>>>> the data.... etc...
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> So before each data item is x'0003' and the offsets appear to be the
>>>>> offset
>>>>>> AFTER the count value.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've been searching for some sort of documentation or examples for this,
>>>>>> but I've come up short.   AI is pretty useless when it comes to this.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but I can't find any docs or
>>>>> examples.
>>>>>> It's been years since I've done commands and yes, this has to be a
>>>>>> command.  :)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Bradley V. Stone
>>>>>> www.bvstools.com
>>>>>> Native IBM i e-Mail solutions for Microsoft Office 365, Gmail, or any
>>>>> Cloud
>>>>>> Provider!
>>>>> --
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