Command syntax

JES2 command input processing requires that you use the following set of syntax rules. JES2 performs syntax checking for commands. While syntax is strictly checked to ensure that JES2 performs only those actions that the operator intends to effect, note that some commands may ignore additional characters following an alphabetic operand (for example, if you enter $NAD3JESZ,‘$CJ2457' instead of $N,D=AD3JESZ,‘$CJ2457'.)
  • JES2 command identifier: JES2 commands must begin with a character that identifies the command as one that is processed by JES2. This character, the command identifier, is a dollar sign ( $ ) by default. You can redefine the identifier to another character by using the CONCHAR= parameter on the CONDEF initialization statement. (Refer to z/OS JES2 Initialization and Tuning Reference for specifying CONCHAR=.)
  • Case: Use uppercase or lowercase to enter a command.
  • Blanks: You can use blanks anywhere within a command. For example: 
    $s lne4            /*  VALID USE OF BLANKS          */

$ s  l    n e 4     /*  ALSO VALID USE OF BLANKS     */
    During command processing, JES2 removes all blanks within commands. Therefore, to JES2, both examples of the start line 4 command shown above are equivalent to $SLNE4. (To prevent blanks in text strings from being deleted, enclose the text strings in apostrophes. See the $dm example below.)
  • Maximum command length: The maximum length for a command depends on where the command originates, as follows:
    • Console - 126 characters
    • Card reader - 70 characters
  • Maximum operands: The maximum number of operands varies with each command but cannot exceed 20.
  • Apostrophes: If you require an apostrophe within a text string, enclose the text string in apostrophes and enter two apostrophes where you want an apostrophe to appear. For example: 
    $d mr1, 'your job''s done'     /* USE 2 APOSTROPHES IN TEXT */
  • Not equal to symbol: Within this information, the not equal symbol set (¬ =) is used to set a selection to mean "not equal to", but your keyboard might not support the use of the ¬ symbol. Consoles support the ¬ character; personal computers typically do not. However, you can use your terminal emulator or keyboard mapping to map the shift 6 key (^) to the hexadecimal value for¬. Alternatively, using the symbol set "less than-greater than" (<>) or "exclamation point equal" (!=) can provide this same, "not-equal-to", definition.