Procedures

You can create a procedure that contains a series of QMF commands and run it with a single RUN command. This is helpful when you are using commands that are too long to enter on the command line. However, use caution when you use system-specific commands within a procedure. For example, if a procedure contains CMS commands and QMF is running in TSO, you cannot run the procedure successfully.

When you run a procedure, the contents of QMF temporary storage areas DATA, FORM, and QUERY change just as with commands entered on the command line.

Because minimum unique abbreviations might change in future releases, you should use the full names for commands, options, and values in procedures (rather than abbreviated names).

You can create either of two types of procedures: procedures with logic or linear procedures. If the first statement of a procedure is a REXX comment, QMF assumes it is a procedure with logic. Otherwise QMF assumes it is a linear procedure.

Procedures with logic and linear procedures can call each other in any combination. A procedure with logic can run a linear procedure and vice versa. There is no limit on the length of any procedure.