REXX Tips & Tricks:Troubleshooting

his section contains hints for some REXX errors, symptoms, and messages. Note that a lot of hints in this section are captured from CompuServe messages.

In addition to the tips mentioned below I suggest everyone having problems with REXX programs should get the new Object-Oriented REXX. Object-Oriented REXX has much more descriptive error messages and the documentation is better than the normal REXX online documentation.

Another good source for Troubleshooting information is the Common REXX Pitfalls page on the home page of Quercus Systems (see Internet - Web Pages)

Note that the information related to various APARs is included in the sections General hints for REXX, REXXUTIL functions and Change the WPS with REXX. See those sections for additionanl information.

Here's a list of further sections in REXX Tips & Tricks with information about various errors:

Errors in OS/2 commands

• CTRL-Break &OS/2 commands
• STDOUT / STDERR
• Using PIPEs
• The CMD command
• The COPY command
• Copying empty files
• The XCOPY command

General REXX Errors

• DO loops

       The keyword instruction CALL 
       The keyword instruction SIGNAL 
       The function DIRECTORY() 
       The function FILESPEC() 
       The functions LINEIN() and PULL() 
       The REXX API functions 
       The function TIME() 
       QUEUE names 

• • Object REXX Errors

       The function CHARS() in Object REXX 
           The function LINEOUT() in Object REXX
           The function LINES() in Object REXX
           The function STREAM() in Object REXX
           The function VALUE() in Object REXX
           The Signal handling in Object REXX 

• • Errors in REXXUTIL functions

           The function SysCopyObject() �
               The function SysCreateObject() �
               The function SysFileSearch() �
               The function SysIni() �
               The function SysQueryClassList() �
               The function SysSearchPath() 

• • WPS related Errors

               Format of the RC files for MAKEINI �
                   Creating shadows of drive objects �
                   Changing the LaunchPad �
                   WPS Object Setup strings (and the sub sections)