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REXX Bibliography

From EDM2

This is a somewhat incomplete bibliography of printed and electronic REXX textural materials, for more currently available electronic materials see the main REXX page.

Classic REXX

A Practical Approach to Programming the Rexx Language

By Michael F. Cowlishaw

aka The REXX Language: A Practical Approach to Programming
Publisher: Prentice-Hall 1985
Format: Hardcover
ISBN 0-13-780735-X
ASIN: B010EX9QCU
Status: Out of print, second edition below is in print

Abstract/introduction available here: A Practical Approach to Programming the Rexx Language

The REXX Language: A Practical Approach to Programming
Second Edition of the above
Format: Softcover
Publisher: Prentice-Hall
Date of publication: March the second, 1990
ISBN 0-13-780651-5
ISBN 978-0137806515
Status: In print

Updated version of the above book and pretty much used as a reference to the language.

REXX言語入門―プログラミングへの実践的アプローチ
aka Rekkusu gengo nyumon: puroguraminguhe no jissenteki apurochi
Japanese translation of the first edition of the above book
Translators: Yoichi Muraoka and Koji Shibano
Publisher: 近代科学社
Date of publication: December 1987
ISBN 4-7649-0136-6
ISBN 978-4764901360
Die Programmiersprache REXX
German translation of the first edition of the above book
Publisher:Hanser 1988
ISBN 3-446-15195-8

Rexx Programmer's Reference

by Howard Fosdick

Publisher: Wrox 2005
Format: Paperback, 720 pages
Date of publication: March 11. 2005
ISBN 0-7645-7996-7
ISBN 978-0764579967
Satus: Out of print, but PDF version available.

This book has now been made available as a free download from the REXX Language Association. Note that although the first seven or so chapters of the book contain a REXX tutorial it is unstructured and while a beginner might be able to learn the language from it, it is less than ideal. An intermediate user will get more from this book than a beginner, unless he has another REXX tutorial to go with it.

Mastering OS/2 Rexx

By Gabriel F. Gargiulo

Format: Paperback, 430 pages
Publisher: Tarquin Publications
Date of publication: 1 Dec, 1993
ISBN 0894354493
ISBN 978-0894354496
Mastering OS/2 Rexx (Revised edition)
Publisher: Wiley/QED
Format: Paperback, 440 pages
Date of publication: 16 Feb 1994
ISBN 9780471519010
ISBN 0-471-51901-4

Rexx With OS/2, TSO & CMS Features

By Gabriel F. Gargiulo

Full title:Rexx With OS/2, TSO & CMS Features - Quick Reference Guide (Mainframe Technical Series)
Publisher: Mvs Training 1999
ISBN 1-892559-03-X

Teach Yourself REXX in 21 Days

By William F. Schindler & Esther Schindler

Publisher: Sams, 1994
Format: Paperback, 600 pages
Date of publication: July 1994
ISBN 0-672-30529-1
ISBN 978-0672305290
Down to Earth REXX

By William F. Schindler

Publisher: Poisoned Pen/Perfect Niche Publishing
Format: Paperback, 528 pages
Date of publication: May 2000
ISBN 0-9677590-0-5
ISBN 978-0967759005

"Down to Earth REXX" is an updated version of "Teach Yourself REXX in 21 Days" above.

The Rexx Cookbook

By Merrill Callaway

Full title: The Rexx Cookbook: A Tutorial Guide to the Rexx Language in OS/2 Warp on the IBM Personal Computer
Publisher: Whitestone
Date of publication: April 1995
Format: Paperback
ISBN 0-9632773-4-0
ISBN 978-0963277343

One of the few OS/2 specific REXX books out there, it appears that the publisher never got a distributors agreement outside of the USA, so only turned up in specialist shops as an expensive import, making it hard to come by and expensive when it shows up on the second hand market.

  • Robert O'Hara; David Ross Gomberg: Modern Programming Using REXX - Prentice Hall 1988, ISBN 0-13-597329-5
  • Anthony S. Rudd: Application Development Using OS/2 Rexx - Wiley 1994, ISBN 0-471-60691-X
  • Anthony S. Rudd: Practical Usage of REXX (Ellis Horwood Series in Computers and Their Applications) - Prentice Hall 1991, ISBN 0-13-682790-X
  • Ronny Richardson: Writing OS/2 REXX Programs - McGraw-Hill 1994, ISBN 0-07-052372-X (Came with examples on a floppy)
  • Richard K. Goran: Rexx Reference Summary Handbook - Second Edition - CFS Nevada 1994, ISBN 0-9639854-1-8
  • William Mansfield: Rexx Language: Special Edition - Prentice Hall 1990, ISBN 0-13-779067-8
  • Hallett German: OS/2 2.1 REXX Handbook: Basics, Applications and Tips - VNR 1993, ISBN 0-442-01734-0
  • Peter C. Kiesel; J.Ranade: REXX: Advanced Techniques for Programmers - McGraw-Hill 1992, ISBN 0-07-034600-3

Programming in REXX

By Charles Daney

Full title:Programming in REXX (J. Ranade IBM Series)
Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 1990
Format: Hardcover: 299 pages
ISBN 0-07-015305-1
ISBN 978-0070153059
Status: Out of print.

This books leaves out most system specifics so it is suitable for any "Classic" REXX environment.

The Rexx Handbook

By Gabriel Goldberg and Philip H. Smith

Full title:The Rexx Handbook (J. Ranade IBM Series)
Publisher:Mcgraw-Hill
Format: Hardcover, 646 pages
Date of publication: February 1992.
ISBN 0070236828
ISBN 978-0070236820

Classic REXX books in German

  • Wolek: Das Rexx-Buch für OS/2 - Markt & Technik 1996, ISBN 3-87791-785-2
  • Karlheinz Wittemann; Stefan Gerten: REXX unter OS/2 – Hanser 1996, ISBN 3-446-18508-9
  • Gerhard Leibrock: Das REXX-Lexikon: Begriffe, Anweisungen, Funktionen - Oldenbourg 1996, ISBN 3-486-23672-5

See also: #Die Programmiersprache REXX

Object REXX

See also #Rexx Programmer's Reference

Mainframe REXX

The REXX Language on TSO

By Gabriel F. Gargiulo

Publisher: Gabriel F. Gargiulo
Format: Paperback, 210 pages
Date of publication: August the 19th, 2012
ISBN-10: 1479104779
ISBN 978-1479104772
Status: In print

More info on the book from the author can be found here

The REXX Language on TSO:REXX Functions

By Gabriel F. Gargiulo

Publisher: Gabriel F. Gargiulo
Format: Paperback, 124 pages
Date of publication: July the 13th, 2013
ISBN 1490536078
ISBN 978-1490536071
Status: In print

A companion to the above book, describes available functions on TSO/E REXX.

VSE/ESA REXX/VSE

IBM Manuals

Note some of these manuals have REXX content but are not REXX manuals per se.

  • VSE/ESA REXX/VSE Reference, SC33-6642
  • VSE/ESA REXX/VSE User's Guide, SC33-6641
  • VSE/ESA System Control Statements, SC33-6613
  • VSE/POWER Administration and Operation, SC33-6633
  • VSE/ESA Guide to System Functions, SC33-6611
  • VSE/ESA Library Guide, GC33-6619
  • VSE/ESA Messages and Codes, SC33-6607
  • VSE/ESA Guide for Solving Problems, SC33-6610
  • VSE/ESA Diagnosis Tools, SC33-6614
  • SAA Common Programming Interface REXX Level 2 Reference, SC24-5549
  • VM/IS: Writing Simple Programs with REXX, SC24-5357
Intended for users with little or no experience in computer programming or programming in REXX
  • TSO/E Version 2 REXX/MVS: User's Guide, SC28-1882
  • TSO/E Version 2 Procedures Language MVS/REXX, SC28-1883
  • VM/SP System Product Interpreter: User's Guide, SC24-5238
  • VM/SP System Product Interpreter: Reference, SC24-5239
  • VM/XASP Interpreter: User's Guide, SC23-0375
  • VM/XASP Interpreter: Reference, SC23-0374
  • VM/ESA REXX/VM: User's Guide, SC24-5465
  • VM/ESA REXX/VM: Reference, SC24-5466
  • IBM VSE/Enterprise Systems Architecture REXX/VSE Reference, SC33-6529
"For experienced programmers, particularly those who have used a structured high-level language. It lists the REXX messages and describes instructions, functions, debugging aids, and parsing".
  • Systems Application Architecture Common Programming Interface: REXX Level 2 Reference, SC24-5549
Describes the SAA REXX interface.
IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370 Release 2
  • IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370 Release 2: Introducing the Next Step in REXX Programming, G511-1430
A introduction to the system for "managers and data processing professionals" to help them evaluate the "IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370" rather than a manual per se. "Provides general information about the features and benefits of the IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370 and the system resources required to run it".
  • IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370 Release 2 User's Guide and Reference, SH19-8160
  • IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX 370 Release 2 Diagnosis Guide, SH19-8179.
Intended for system programmers rather than normal end users."It explains how to diagnose suspected errors in the product and how to report them to the appropriate IBM personnel".

All or most of the "IBM Compiler and Library for SAA REXX/370 Release 2" publications listed above were also available on the following CD-ROM's:

  • IBM Online Library MVSCollection CD-ROM, SK2T-0710
  • IBM Online Library MVSCollection CD-ROM, SK2T-2067
  • IBM Online Library MVSCollection CD-ROM, SK2T-0060
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