System Variable Documentation

To set up the directory that the system variables will reside in,
log on as MANAGER.SYS and issue the following two commands

NEWDIR /SYS/SYSTEMVAR
ALTSEC /SYS/SYSTEMVAR;REPPAIR=(TD,RD,CD,DD,RACD:@.@)

These will set up a directory for the System variables and give it
the proper security needed.

There are three command files you will now need.

1. SETSVAR
2. GETSVAR
3. DELSVAR

The SETSVAR command will set the system variable. The GETSVAR command
will get the system variable and set a local variable with the same name
to that value. And the DELSVAR will of course delete the system variable.

The three command files should be located in a group that is in your path.

The way these work is that when you issue a SETSVAR command it will create
a file with the name you stated as the variable and will add one line to
the file that is the value that you set. For example.

SETSVAR  THIS_IS_THE_NAME  "HOW ARE YOU"

This will create a file in the /SYS/SYSTEMVAR/ directory with the name
THIS_IS_THE_NAME and will have one record with the line HOW ARE YOU.

When you do a GETSVAR THIS_IS_THE_NAME. It will read this file and set the
local variable THIS_IS_THE_NAME to HOW ARE YOU. So as you see in order to
use a system variable you have to "get" it first and then use the local
variable of the same name.

So far this has worked very well for us. We use it to pass status
information between jobs and to save critical pieces of information
that would otherwise be lost as soon as the job ended.

If you find this useful I would appreciate an e-mail just to let me know
you liked or disliked it.

John Krussel
Nordstrom
600 University Suite 600
Seattle WA  98101
e-mail: john.krussel@nordstrom.com