Syntax examples

Conventions used for the syntax of 4GL instructions

Example 1

CALL PgmNameOrAlphaVarId SeriesParameters

	PgmNameOrAlphaVarId	→	PgmName \| &AlphaVarId

	SeriesParameters	→	SeriesParameters Parameter \| None

In this example, the CALL instruction is followed by two elements:

PgmNameOrAlphaVarId
SeriesParameters.

As each element may correspond to a number of different values, details are given below the instruction. Each value is separated by the symbol " | ", which represents "or".

PgmNameOrAlphaVarId

→

PgmName | &AlphaVarId

Here, the first element is either the name of a program (PgmName) or the name of an alphabetical environment variable preceded by the "&" character (&AlphaVarId) that contains the program name.

SeriesParameters

→

SeriesParameters Parameter | None

The second element is a series of parameters (SeriesParameters). There can be several parameters, just one, or none at all (indicated by " | None").

The value between each " | " also shows the syntax to be used. In this case, SeriesParameters Parameter shows that where there is more than one parameter, a space must be left between each.

Example 2

COPY_LST ListName1 ListName2

In this example, the COPY_LST instruction is followed by two elements:

ListName1,
ListName2.

Both elements are compulsory and cannot be anything else. Consequently, no details are given.

Example 3

CREATE ViewName Parameter

	Parameter	→	NO_MR \| MR \| None

In this example, the CREATE instruction is followed by two elements:

ViewName,
Parameter.

The ViewName element is compulsory and cannot be anything else. Consequently, no details are given.

The Parameter element can take one of several values. As such, details are given below the instruction.

Parameter

→

*NO_MR | *MR | None

Parameter can take the value *NO_MR or *MR, or contain no value at all, implying that it is optional.

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