GET list-directed

This topic provides information about using the GET statement for list-directed data transmission.

On input, data values in the stream must be separated either by a blank or by a comma. This separator can be surrounded by one or more blanks. A null field in the stream is indicated either by the first nonblank character in the data stream being a comma, or by two commas separated by an arbitrary number of blanks. A null field specifies that the value of the associated data-list item remains unchanged.

Transmission of the list of constants or complex expressions on input is terminated by expiration of the list or at the end-of-file. For transmission of constants, the file is positioned in the stream ready for the next GET statement.

If the items are separated by a comma, the first character scanned when the next GET statement is executed is the one immediately following the comma:

  Xbb,bbbXX
      —

If the items are separated by blanks only, the first item scanned is the next nonblank character:

  XbbbbXXX
       —

If the end-of-record is encountered, the file is positioned at the end of the record:

  Xbb–bbXXX
     —

However, if the end-of-record immediately follows a nonblank character (other than a comma) and the following record begins with blanks, the file is positioned at the first nonblank character in the following record:

  X–bbbXXX
       —

If the record does terminate with a comma, the next record is not read until the next GET statement requires it.

If the data is a character constant, the surrounding quotation marks are removed, and the enclosed characters are interpreted as a character string. A double quotation mark is treated as a single quotation mark.

If the data is a bit constant, the enclosing quotation marks and the trailing character B are removed, and the enclosed characters are interpreted as a bit string.

If the data is a hexadecimal constant (X, BX, B4, GX), the enclosing quotation marks and the suffix are removed, and the enclosed characters are interpreted as a hexadecimal representation of a character, bit, or graphic string.

If the data is a mixed constant, the enclosing quotation marks and the suffix M are removed, and the enclosed constant is interpreted as a character string.

If the data is a graphic constant, the enclosing quotation marks and the trailing character G are removed, and the enclosed graphics are interpreted as a graphic string.

If the data is an arithmetic constant or complex expression, it is interpreted as coded arithmetic data with the base, scale, mode, and precision implied by the constant or by the rules for expression evaluation.