Can anyone please tell me the difference between -RUN and RUN? We have a mainframe Focus fex that had been running fine until we upgraded the language to 8009. Now the fex is abending with an SA03. We suspect the RUN command, but aren't really sure what it is supposed to be doing.

In context, we have a TABLE FILE that is putting out multiple reports. After each report (before the next HEADER), instead of END, there is a RUN command. It is only at the last report within the TABLE FILE command that we see the normal
END
-RUN

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: M Ward,

Think of -RUN like a SQL GO statement. -RUN tells the backend to process the previous command, before moving to the new statement.

RUN command is used in the context of MORE..FILE where you want to concatenate multiple answer sets. RUN gives you the ability to separate each FILE you're trying to query. -RUN is telling Dialogue Manager to execute everything above before you move forward to the next command.

RUN is a part of TABLE syntax and -RUN is a Dialogue Manager (scripting) syntax.

Is there a difference between how RUN works in 8009 versus earlier versions? This code works in 7, but stopped when we upgraded to 8009.

Can you post a code snippet ?

It will help to see how its used.

RUN and -RUN have not changed. The only thing that has changed is code tightening, so if you are using it in a way that is not and never supported (according to the documentation), then the code will have to change.

RUN is usually used to continue querying from the same metadata (master file) without having to close and reopen it.

-RUN flushes the stack that is stored temporarily internally.

And RUN is also used in MATCH FILE to separate the different FILE sections (up to the last one).

That might be the same kind of use as with MORE, but I've never encountered that use of RUN, whereas we use it frequently with MATCH FILE.

We have been experimenting all day. Here is a little something that we discovered. The report is being run on a z/OS mainframe. Previously, the RUN statement seems to create a "+T>" right before it lists the number of records in a report. That "+T>" no longer shows up in the SYSOUT. It must be tied to RUN somehow (what, if anything, do END and QUIT generate?)

I've pasted some code snippits into a Word document. Can anyone tell me how to make it visible here? It won't allow me to paste.

All you can do to post code is to paste the text into the code tags

MW,
The TABLE command is completed with END.
This is the only command that is allowed in WebFOCUS.
In M/F FOCUS, one could use RUN in interactive mode. After issuing the RUN a report would be produced after which one is still in the environment of the TABLE for the same FILE.
Apparently, in your case, this allowed a procedure to produce multiple reports.
Personally, I NEVER used this option.
I would suggest you replace all your RUNs with ENDs insert a TABLE FILE command after each END.

Good luck!

Thank you Danny-SRL, that is precisely what we did.

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice.