BRexx Section

Bill N. Vlachoudis's BREXX on Windows 95 (MS/DOS prompt)


ADDRESS() returns 'SYSTEM'

VERSION: Lang(REXX) Version(BY) Date(BNV R1.3 Nov 10 1997)

SOURCE: Env(MSDOS)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(rexxver.txt) source4(*)
        source5(*) source6(rexxver.txt) source7(C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM)
        source8() source9()

As tested by David Alcock on 6 Feb 1998

Notice that the PARSE VERSION on BREXX doesn't get the same results for version() that we would expect with some of the version bleeding into the date area.

uniRexx Section

uniREXX under Solaris 2.6

ADDRESS() returns 'UNIX'

VERSION: Lang(REXX:Open-REXX:270:uni-REXX:ASCII:SingleThread) Version(4.00) Date(03 Nov 1997)

SOURCE: Env(UNIX)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(/export/home/jac/rexx/rexxver.rex) source4(rexxver.rex)
        source5(UNIX) source6() source7()
        source8() source9()

Contributed by John A Cifonelli (of "The Workstation Group, Ltd.") on 3 Feb 1998

REXX-imc Section

REXX-imc on on FreeBSD 2.2.6

ADDRESS() returns 'UNIX'

VERSION: Lang(REXX/imc-beta-1.6d) Version(4.00) Date(1 Aug 1996)

SOURCE: Env(UNIX)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(/root/rexx/rexxver.exec)
source4(rexxver)
        source5(UNIX) source6() source7()
        source8() source9()

RexxVer executed on 6-Apr-1999

Contributed by Ian Smith of Nimbin, Australia

Amiga Section

Amiga Regina Rexx

ADDRESS() returns 'SYSTEM'

VERSION: Lang(REXX-Regina_0_08f) Version(4.75) Date(13 Sep 1998)

SOURCE: Env(AMIGA)
    source2(COMMAND) source3(System:Transfer/REXXVER2) source4()
    source5() source6() source7()
    source8() source9()

RexxVer executed on 1-Oct-1998

Contributed by Rudy Kohut

Amiga ARexx

ADDRESS() returns 'REXX'

VERSION: Lang(ARexx) Version(VER) Processor(68070) Coprocessor(68881) Video
Standard(PAL)
Video Freq.( 50HZ)

SOURCE: Type(COMMAND)
    results(0) called(transfer/REXXVER) resolved(System:Transfer/REXXVER)
    extension(REXX) host( REXX)

Modified RexxVer executed on 01-Oct-1998
Modified for Amiga ARexx Compatibility

Contributed by Rudy Kohut

Results are from a modified version of REXXVER
called REXXVERA

Note: In "Version", the processor result is wrong - it should read "68040", NOT "68070"; also, the "VER" attribute is not properly returned.

Editor Section

VM 1.2.2 - XEDIT macro

ADDRESS() returns 'XEDIT'

VERSION: Lang(REXX370) Version(4.00) Date(01 May 1993)

SOURCE: Env(CMS)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(REXXVER) source4(XEDIT)
        source5(*) source6(REXXVER) source7(XEDIT)
        source8() source9()

RexxVer executed on 4-Mar-1998

Contributed by Carl Forde

Edit Macro in SPF/PC running on Window NT workstation


ADDRESS() returns 'ISREDIT'

VERSION: Lang(REXX/2) Version(1.0.171) Date(14 Apr 1995)

SOURCE: Env(WINDOWS)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\REGINA\MYTESTS\SPFTEST.SPF) source4(spftst)
        source5(ISREDIT) source6() source7()
        source8() source9()

Contributed by David McRitchie on 9 Feb 1998

EDIT macro in Tritus/SPF 1.28 under DOS
(Tritus has its own REXX interpreter)

ADDRESS() returns 'ISREDIT'

VERSION: Lang(REXX:Open-REXX179) Version(4.00) Date(23 Apr 1993)

SOURCE: Env(EkEhEoInIlIfFtOvVrO{UyU.YaAmIsOzUqQ)
  source2(COMMAND) source3(D:\TSPF12\REXXVER.SPF)
  source4(D:\TSPF12\REXXVER.SPF)
  source5(ISREDIT) source6() source7()
  source8() source9()

Contributed by Gilbert Saint-flour on 10 Feb 1998

Edit Macro under Tritus 1.2.8 on OS/2 Warp 3 with fixpak 32

ADDRESS() returns 'ISREDIT'

VERSION: Lang(REXXSAA) Version(4.00) Date(14 May 1997)

SOURCE: Env(OS/2)
   source2(COMMAND) source3(D:\TSPF12\REXXVER.SPF) source4()
   source5() source6() source7()
   source8() source9()

Contributed by Gilbert Saint-flour on 10 Feb 1998

Mark Hessling's THE editor

ADDRESS() returns 'THE'

VERSION: Lang(REXX-Regina_0_08f) Version(4.80) Date(30 Oct 1998)

SOURCE: Env(WIN32)
        source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\Mark\rexxver.the) source4()
        source5() source6() source7()
        source8() source9()

RexxVer executed on 12-Dec-1998

Contributed by Mark Hessling

Mark says: The Env() value returns WIN32, OS/2, UNIX or DOS depending on the OS THE is running on.

Comments on the results

Stephen Ferg on 10 Feb 1998 said:
Note the inconsistency in the values for the source program returned by PARSE SOURCE in the different versions. Some interpreters under DOS and Windows return only the filename prefix. Others return filename prefix and suffix. Others return full path + filename prefix + filename suffix.

Some implementations appear to return different results, depending on the text of the command line by which they were called. All of these results sent to you below were obtained by running the REXXVER program from the current directory (the directory in which it was stored, C:\TEST), with a filename parameter of "REXXVER". Calling REXXVER from a different directory (C:\TEST\TEST) with the filename parameter of "C:\TEST\REXXVER.REX" produced different PARSE SOURCE results in Personal REXX for Windows (both 16 and 32 bit versions) and Enterprise REXX for DOS. For example
```
SUPERC -- IBM PC LINE COMPARE        02/10/98  09:51

I means an Inserted line, D means a deleted line.
I followed by D basically means a difference.

==================================================
NEW FILE =  C:\TEST\TEST\RXE_D.TXT    OLD FILE =  C:\TEST\RXE_D.TXT
I -  source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\TEST\REXXVER.REX) source4()
D -         source2(COMMAND) source3(rexxver) source4()
==================================================
NEW FILE =  C:\TEST\TEST\RXP_W16.TXT  OLD FILE =  C:\TEST\RXP_W16.TXT
I -  source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\TEST\REXXVER.REX) source4()
D -  source2(COMMAND) source3(rexxver.REX) source4()
==================================================
NEW FILE =  C:\TEST\TEST\RXP_W32.TXT  OLD FILE =  C:\TEST\RXP_W32.TXT
I -  source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\TEST\REXXVER.REX) source4()
D -  source2(COMMAND) source3(C:\test\rexxver.REX) source4()
```
Also, note that the results are not consistent in the case (upper, lower, mixed) of the filename.

It would be desirable if REXX interpreter vendors could standardize on the practice of having PARSE SOURCE always return the full path + full filename in upper case, regardless of how the program was invoked. (Of these programs, only Personal REXX for DOS currently behaves that way.) Until that happens, the source-file name returned by PARSE SOURCE will be a potential GOTCHA! for REXX ANYWHERE! programmers.

As for Enterprise REXX beta 1.7, my understanding is that the value for the program name returned by PARSE SOURCE will be expanded to the full path and filename in upper case (as per the above recommendation) in the production release of E~REXX 1.7.
David Alcock on 12 Feb 1998 said:
As seen above, we are getting consistent results from most of the "PARSE VERSION" except for BREXX.
Marc Irvin on 17 Feb 1998 said:
I accidentally fell on your Rexx Anywhere! page. I have coded major REXX routines that actually run on CMS, TSO, OS/2, and W95. I do it by invoking a number of cover functions that hide the environment. For instance, I have programs call REXXRDR and REXXWRTR that customise the I/O request to fit the environment. Some places give major problems so that no matter what you do the code can't be the same across platforms. First, there is UNIX, who requires the first line to have a format that is not compatible with all other implementations of REXX (i.e. #!/usr/local/rexx). Second, DOS/7 has not nearly enough system support commands to support production style queries (i.e. no sys... commands.) Mansfield REXX, if it's still available is useable, and will work with my universal code I believe.

Ultimately, I intend to set up a Web page similar to yours. In it will be a host of programs similar to the one I am attaching as an example of how I write REXX Anywhere! cover functions.

(See attached file: Rexxrdr.cmd)

Return to the REXX Anywhere! web page.