IBM i 7.2 Programming CL overview and concepts IBM Note Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page 613. This edition applies to IBM i 7.2 (product number 5770-SS1) and to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions. This version does not run on all reduced instruction set computer (RISC) models nor does it run on CISC models. This document may contain references to Licensed Internal Code. Licensed Internal Code is Machine Code and is licensed to you under the terms of the IBM License Agreement for Machine Code. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1998, 2013. US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Contents Control language................................................................................................... 1 Control language overview.......................................................................................................................... 1 What's new for IBM i 7.3..............................................................................................................................1 CL concepts.................................................................................................................................................. 3 System operation control....................................................................................................................... 3 Control language............................................................................................................................... 3 Menus................................................................................................................................................ 3 Messages...........................................................................................................................................3 Message descriptions..................................................................................................................4 Message queues.......................................................................................................................... 4 CL commands......................................................................................................................................... 4 CL command names..........................................................................................................................5 Abbreviations used in CL commands and keywords.................................................................. 5 CL command parts..........................................................................................................................53 CL command syntax.................................................................................................................. 54 CL command label.....................................................................................................................54 CL command parameters..........................................................................................................55 CL command delimiter characters............................................................................................55 CL command continuation........................................................................................................ 57 CL command comments........................................................................................................... 58 CL command definition...................................................................................................................58 CL command coding rules.............................................................................................................. 59 CL command information and documentation.............................................................................. 61 CL command documentation format........................................................................................61 CL command help......................................................................................................................64 Printing CL command descriptions on the system................................................................... 64 CL command prompters............................................................................................................65 CL commands that operate on IBM i objects.................................................................................65 CL commands that operate on multiple objects............................................................................65 CL programs and procedures...............................................................................................................66 CL procedure...................................................................................................................................68 CL module....................................................................................................................................... 68 CL program......................................................................................................................................68 Service program..............................................................................................................................68 CL parameters...................................................................................................................................... 68 Parameter values............................................................................................................................ 68 Constant values.........................................................................................................................69 Variable name............................................................................................................................74 Expressions............................................................................................................................... 75 List of values..............................................................................................................................75 Parameters in keyword and positional form.................................................................................. 76 Required, optional, and key parameters........................................................................................78 Commonly used parameters.......................................................................................................... 78 AUT parameter.......................................................................................................................... 78 CLS parameter...........................................................................................................................79 COUNTRY parameter.................................................................................................................81 FILETYPE parameter................................................................................................................. 88 FRCRATIO parameter................................................................................................................89 IGCFEAT parameter.................................................................................................................. 90 JOB parameter.......................................................................................................................... 91 LABEL parameter.......................................................................................................................92 iii LICOPT parameter.....................................................................................................................93 MAXACT parameter...................................................................................................................97 OBJ parameter.......................................................................................................................... 98 OBJTYPE parameter..................................................................................................................98 OUTPUT parameter................................................................................................................... 99 PRTTXT parameter..................................................................................................................100 REPLACE parameter................................................................................................................101 JOBPTY, OUTPTY, and PTYLMT scheduling priority parameters...........................................102 SEV parameter........................................................................................................................ 103 SPLNBR parameter................................................................................................................. 105 TEXT parameter...................................................................................................................... 105 VOL parameter........................................................................................................................ 106 WAITFILE parameter.............................................................................................................. 107 Parameter values used for testing and debugging.....................................................................