rexx(1) rexx(1)
Name
rexx - The Regina Rexx interpreter
Syntax
rexx [ options ] [ script [ scriptparams ]]
regina [ script [ scriptparams ]]
Description
Rexx will read the file named as and will assume the contents of that
file to be a Rexx script and interpret that script. Any parameters
following will be interpreted as the parameters to the Rexx script. If
is not specified, the Rexx script to interpret will be read from
standard input, and interpretation will start when the whole script
has been read.
If `-' is specified as script then the script will be read from
standard input.
The regina executable supports the use of external function packages
written to the SAA API, and called with the rxfuncadd BIF.
Options
-tx Sets tracing of the program to the option(s); "x" specified. Any
TRACE commands in the prgram will be ignored. If you want to run
your program with tracing set to "intermediate", you can use the
option -ti. If only -t is specified, "all" is the trace mode set.
Multiple tracing options can be specified. eg. To specify
"intermediate", "interactive" teacing, specify -ti -t?.
-i Starts Regina in interactive mode. No script will be executed.
Built-ins
Below is a list of all the standard built-in functions in Rexx. For a
more complete description of each function, see the documentation
accompanying Regina.
ABBREV(long,short[,length])
Returns `1' or 0', depending on whether `short' is an abbrevation
of `long', or at least `length' characters.
ABS(number)
Returns the absolute value of `number'.
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ADDRESS()
Returns the name of the current environment.
ARG([argno[,option]])
Without parameters, it returns the number of parameters. If only
`argno' is specified, it must be a number, and that parameter is
returned. `Option' can be `E', `N' or `O', and then either `0' or
`1' is returned, depending on whether the numbered parameter
existed or was ommitted. The option `N' is the same as not
specifying an option.
B2X(binstring)
Converts the bin-string `binstring' to a hex-string.
BITAND(string1[,[string2][,padchar]])
Returns a string which is the bitwise AND of its two first
parameters. The shorter string is padded with `padchar'.
BITOR(string1[,[string2][,padchar]])
Like `BITAND' but uses logical OR.
BITXOR(string1[,[string2][,padchar]])
Like `BITAND' but uses logical XOR.
C2D(string[,length])
Converts the character string `string' to a decimal number.
`Length' specifies the number of characters in `string' to
convert.
C2X(string)
Converts the character string `string' to a hex-string.
CENTER(string,length[,padchar])
CENTRE(string,length[,padchar])
Centers `string' in a string of `length' characters, using
`padchar' for padding, if neccessary.
CHARIN([streamid][,[start][,length]])
Read `length' (default is 1) characters from an input stream
(default is the standard input stream), optionally starting at
position `start' (default is the current read position).
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CHANGESTR(string1,string,string2)
Changes all occurrences of `string1' in the string `string' to
`string2'.
CHAROUT([streamid][,[string][,start]])
Writes `stream' to an output stream (default is the standard
output stream), starting at position `start' (default is the
current write position).
CHARS([streamid])
Returns the number of characters left in the input stream
(default is the standard input stream).
COMPARE(string1,string2[,padchar])
Returns `0' or `1', depending on whether the two strings are
equal. The shorter string is padded with `padchar', or space if
padchar is ommitted.
CONDITION([option])
Performs various operations on streams, see other documentation.
COPIES(string,copies)
Returns `copies' copies of the string `string'.
COUNTSTR(string1,string)
Returns the number of occurrences of `string1' in the string
`string'.
DATATYPE(string[,option])
Returns the datatype of `string': `NUM' if it is a number, `LIT'
if it is as valid literal that does not have a variable value,
`VAR' if it is a variable, and `BAD' otherwise. If `option' is
specified, it must be one of these four, and then `0' or `1' is
returned, depending on whether `string' is of the named type.
DATE([option-out,[date,[option-in]]])
Returns the date, in various formats, which can be Base, Century,
Days, European, Month, Normal, Ordered, Standard, USA, or
Weekday. Can also be used to convert a date `date' from one
format `option-in' to another; `option-out'.
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DELSTR(string,start[,length])
Deletes the substring of `string' starting at position `start'
and having a length of `length' (default is the rest of the
string).
DELWORD(string,start[,length])
Deletes `length' words (default is the rest of the string) from
`string', starting at word number `start'
DIGITS()
Returns the current setting of NUMERIC DIGITS.
D2C(integer[,length])
Converts the decimal number `integer' to a character string of
length `length'.
D2X(integer[,length])
Converts the decimal number `integer' to a hex-string of length
`length'.
ERRORTEXT(errno)
Returns the error text associated with error number `errno'.
FORM()
Returns the current setting of NUMERIC FORM.
FORMAT(number[,[before][,[after][,[expp][,[expt]]]]])
Formats `number' into a string having `before' digits before and
`after' digits after the decimal point. The `expp' and `expt'
governs how and when to use exponential form.
FUZZ()
Returns the current setting of NUMERIC FUZZ.
INSERT(string1,string2[,position[,length[,padchar]]])
Inserts `string1' into `string2' at position `position' and with
a length of `length'.
LASTPOS(needle,haystack[,start])
Seeks for `needle' in `haystack', from the end towards the start.
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LEFT(string,length[,padchar])
Returns the `length' leftmost characters in `string'
LENGTH(string)
Returns the number of characters in `string'.
LINEIN([streamid][,[line][,count]])
Reads a line from an input stream (default is the standard input
stream), optionally starting at `line'. If `count' is zero, no
reading is performed (only repositioning).
LINEOUT([streamid][,[string][,line]])
Writes the line `string' to an output stream (default is the
standard output stream, optionally starting at `line'.
LINES([streamid])
Returns the number of complete lines left in an input stream.
MAX(number1[,number2]...)
Returns the maximum of its parameters.
MIN(number[,number]...)
Returns the minimum of its parameters.
OVERLAY(string1,string2[,[start][,[length][,padchar]]])
Overwrites `string2' with contents of `string1'.
POS(needle,haystack[,start])
Seeks for first occurrence of `needle' in `haystack'.
QUEUED()
Returns the number of lines in the external data queue (stack).
RANDOM(max)
RANDOM([min][,[max][,seed]])
Returns a random number in the range `min' to `max' (default is 0
and 100000).
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REVERSE(string)
Reverses the order of the characters in `string'.
RIGHT(string,length[,padchar])
Returns the `length' rightmost characters in `string'.
rxfuncadd(external,library,internal)
Loads an external function called; `internal' residing in the
`library' shared library. `external' is the name of the function
as known to the interpreter.
SIGN(number)
Returns `-1', `0', or `1', depending on the sign of `number'.
SOURCELINE([lineno])
Returns the number of lines in the source for the current script,
or the line specified by `lineno'.
SPACE(string[,[length][,padchar]])
Transform any sequence of spaces in `string' into exactly
`length' spaces, and strips off leading and trailing spaces.
STEAM(streamid[,option[,command]])
Returns infomation about a stream, valid options are `Command',
`Description', and `State'. See other documentation for more
information.
STRIP(string[,[option][,char]])
Strips leading and trailing `char's off `string'. `Option' can be
Leading, Trailing, or Both.
SUBSTR(string,start[,[length][,padchar]])
Returns the substring of `string' starting at `start' and having
length `length'.
SUBWORD(string,start[,length])
Returns a subsequence of `length' words from `string' starting at
`start'.
SYMBOL(name)
Test whether `name' is a numbol, variable, literal.
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TIME([option-out,[time,[option-in]]])
Returns the time, options are Civil, Elapsed, Hours, Long,
Minutes, Normal, Reset, and Seconds. Can also be used to convert
a time `time' from one format `option-in' to another; `option-
out'.
TRACE([setting])
Returns the current trace setting, and optionally sets a new one.
TRANSLATE(string[,[tablein][,[tableout][,padchar]]])
Translates characters in `string' from `tablein' to `tableout'.
TRUNC(number[,length])
Truncates `number' to `length' decimals.
VALUE(symbol[,[value],[pool]])
Returns the value of `symbol', optionally setting it to `value'
afterwards.
VERIFY(string,ref[,[option][,start]])
Verifies that `strings' consists of characters from `ref', and
returns the first character that does not match. `Option' can be
Match or Nomatch.
WORD(string,wordno)
Returns word number `wordno' in `string'.
WORDINDEX(string,wordno)
Returns the character position of word nun
WORDLENGTH(string,wordno)
Returns the length of word number `wordno' in `string'.
WORDPOS(phrase,string[,start])
Returns the word position of the start of `phrase' in `string'.
WORDS(string)
Returns the number of words in `string'.
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XRANGE([start][,end])
Returns in alphabetic order all the characters in the character
set from the character `start' to the character `end'.
X2B(hexstring)
Converts the hex-string `hexstring' to a bin-string.
X2C(hexstring)
Converts the hex-string `hexstring' to a character string.
X2D(hexstring[,length])
Converts the `length' rightmost characters of the hex-string
`hexstring' to a decimal number.
Copyright
The Regina Rexx interpreter is distributed under the GNU Library
General Public License, see the file `COPYING-LIB' in the source code
distribution.
Author
Anders Christensen, University of Trondheim, Norway
<anders@pvv.unit.no>.
Changes to Regina since 0.07a, Mark Hessling <M.Hessling@qut.edu.au>
See Also
There are several good reference books on Rexx. The most famous is
"The Rexx Language" by Mike Cowlishaw. Visit http://www.rexxla.org
(The Rexx Language Association) for any Rexx related information.
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