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From: MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET (Jim Foster)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Subject: Re: Question about Parsing
Message-ID: <90332.090459MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET>
Date: 28 Nov 90 14:04:59 GMT
References: <9304@ncar.ucar.edu>
Organization: Rohm and Haas Company
Lines: 35

In article <9304@ncar.ucar.edu>, tparker@bierstadt.scd.ucar.edu (Tom Parker)
says:
>
>Here's a question regarding PARSEing in REXX on VM/CMS:
>
>In parsing, I know you can use a string pattern in a variable, by putting
>it in parentheses.  For example:
>
>         slash = '/'
>         parse value 'dog/cat' with word1 (slash) word2
>
>But I can't find how to use a NUMERIC pattern in a variable.  For
>example, I might want to break a string at a specific column determined
>by the program.  Simplistic example:
>
>         column = 4
>         parse value 'dog/cat' with word1 (column) word2
>
>will use '4' as a string pattern, rather than as a number pattern.
>
>
>So, my question is: is there a way to use a numeric pattern in a variable
>when parsing?
>
Put an "=" sign in front of the parentheses.  I think you need REXX
v4 to do this.

         column = 4
         parse value 'dog/cat' with word1 =(column) word2

For more information, see Cowlishaw, second edition, page 119.
--
Jim Foster - MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET                        Rohm and Haas Company
Systems Programmer                                      Independence Mall West
(215) 592-2446, 592-3377 (FAX)                          Philadelphia, PA 19105