Specifying runtime options and program arguments

To distinguish runtime options from program arguments that are passed to Language Environment, the options and program arguments are separated by a forward slash (/). For more information about program arguments, see Argument lists and parameter lists.

Runtime options precede program arguments whenever they are specified in JCL or in TSO/E commands on application invocation.

Table 1. Formats for specifying runtime options and program arguments
When Format
Only runtime options are present runtime options/
Only program arguments are present
  1. If a slash is present in the arguments, a preceding slash is mandatory.
  2. If a slash is not present in the arguments, a preceding slash is optional.
 One of the following:
  1. /program arguments
  2. program arguments

    or

    /program arguments
Both runtime options and program arguments are present runtime options/program arguments