Assigning a Synonym for a Prefix Macro

The user must issue the following subcommand in order to be able to specify the block form of the L macro. You can enter this subcommand in the PROFILE XEDIT file:

SET PREFIX SYNONYM LL L

Now, the user can invoke the L prefix macro by entering either L (with an optional numeric operand) or LL. In line 19, the macro checks for its simple form (when the length of name is 1). In line 26, the macro checks for its block form (when the length of name is 2).

Synonyms can also be assigned for other reasons. For example:

• A prefix macro file name can be up to eight alphabetic characters long, but the prefix area is only five positions long. You can use SET PREFIX SYNONYM to assign a synonym up to five characters long.
• The synonym can be a special character not permitted as part of a CMS file name. For example, the file name for the XEDIT prefix macro > is PRFSHIFT.
• A macro can perform different functions, depending on how it is entered. Different synonyms can signify different functions to the macro. For example, the XEDIT prefix macro PRFSHIFT shifts the screen right if > is entered and left if < is entered. The synonyms assigned to this macro are:
  • SET PREFIX SYNONYM > PRFSHIFT
  • SET PREFIX SYNONYM < PRFSHIFT
  • SET PREFIX SYNONYM >> PRFSHIFT
  • SET PREFIX SYNONYM << PRFSHIFT
• Prefix macros can also use the names of prefix subcommands such as F (following) or P (preceding). To use a prefix subcommand in a prefix macro, you should either define a synonym (see SET PREFIX in z/VM: XEDIT Commands and Macros Reference) or override the prefix subcommand by using SET MACRO ON.