Native format

The following table shows the structure of a IBM® Connect:Direct® command in its native format.

Label    Command    Parameters and Subparameters

The following table explains each command component:

Component	Description
Label (optional)	You can optionally identify your IBM Connect:Direct command through use of a label. A label must begin in position 1 and consists of a 1-8 character alphanumeric string, with the first character alphabetic. Note: The Connect:Direct commands are reserved words and should not be used as labels. For example, SUBMIT, SELECT etc. Note: Any value in column position 1 is considered a label and is processed as such.
Command	The command itself specifies the IBM Connect:Direct function requested and must begin after position 1. Use one or more blanks to separate the command from the parameters which follow it.
Parameters or Subparameters	Parameters or subparameters specify further instructions for the command. Separate your parameters by one or more blanks. Parameters can be either keyword or positional. Keyword parameters are usually followed by an equal sign and can have a set of subparameters. An example of a keyword parameter is CASE in the following command. SIGNON NETMAP=network.map.name CASE=Yes\|No You must type positional parameters in a specific order, with commas replacing any parameter not typed. These parameters are always on the right of the equal sign. Enclose positional subparameters in parentheses, with the parentheses preceded and followed by blanks or commas. In the following command USERID is an example of a keyword parameter, and ID,pswd,newpswd are examples of positional subparameters: SIGNON USERID=(ID,pswd,newpswd) A positional parameter or the variable information in a keyword parameter is sometimes a list of subparameters. Such a list can include both positional and keyword parameters.

Component

Description

Label (optional)

You can optionally identify your IBM Connect:Direct command through use of a label. A label must begin in position 1 and consists of a 1-8 character alphanumeric string, with the first character alphabetic.

Note: The Connect:Direct commands are reserved words and should not be used as labels. For example, SUBMIT, SELECT etc.

Note: Any value in column position 1 is considered a label and is processed as such.

Command

The command itself specifies the IBM Connect:Direct function requested and must begin after position 1.

Use one or more blanks to separate the command from the parameters which follow it.

Parameters or Subparameters

Parameters or subparameters specify further instructions for the command. Separate your parameters by one or more blanks. Parameters can be either keyword or positional.

Keyword parameters are usually followed by an equal sign and can have a set of subparameters. An example of a keyword parameter is CASE in the following command.

SIGNON NETMAP=network.map.name CASE=Yes|No

You must type positional parameters in a specific order, with commas replacing any parameter not typed. These parameters are always on the right of the equal sign. Enclose positional subparameters in parentheses, with the parentheses preceded and followed by blanks or commas.

In the following command USERID is an example of a keyword parameter, and ID,pswd,newpswd are examples of positional subparameters:

SIGNON USERID=(ID,pswd,newpswd)

A positional parameter or the variable information in a keyword parameter is sometimes a list of subparameters. Such a list can include both positional and keyword parameters.