REX 1.04 announcement for VMNews -- 21 August 1979 ================================================== Copyright (c) International Business Machines Corporation, 1979. All Rights Reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **** From Mike Cowlishaw ... WINPA MFC **** REX is now in use in over forty locations, and naturally there have been some bugs found, enhancements made, et cetera. This pack will bring you up to date to Version 1.04. (Aug 21st 1979). I hope future update packs will be smaller and less frequent! Some users have asked whether REX is stable enough to be put on 'floor' systems. The answer is yes: it is already on many systems. Enhancements: Direct Variable interface: called programs now have a well defined interface with which they can read, set, or drop the current generation of REX variables. REX EXEC's may now be invoked as Functions (i.e. from within an expression). The RETURN instruction will then automatically pass back a result directly (not via the stack). Hex strings may include imbedded blanks to improve readability. EMSG MODULE has the equivalent effect to &EMSG in normal EXEC's. May also be used with EXEC 2. Three new functions (WCOUNT, NEST, and READFLAG) added to REXFNS. SAY is no longer restricted to 130 characters. Bugs fixed etc.: Bugs in FIND and WORD functions fixed. Bug in SUBSTR fixed, restrictions on INDEX/POS/LASTPOS relaxed Bug in SIGNAL ON EXIT cured TRACE Scan improved Problem with accidental aliasing of input parameters fixed Some clarifications and corrections made to the documentation Contributions from other users: >>>> More contributions of REX functions and EXEC's are <<<< >>>> welcomed for inclusion in the next update pack. <<<< COMPUTE/COMPUTE2 EXECs: Allen Springer CAMBRIDG(SPRINGER) interactive 'calculator' RXTRANS: Ron Lautman HARVM(CCP07) equivalent to PL/I TRANSLATE function, defaults to Upper Case RXUSERID: Ron Lautman HARVM(CCP07) returns name of your virtual machine WCOUNT and NEST functions (in REXFNS) by Steve Davies WINPA(FILES) Let me know if you wish to be dropped from the distribution list. (e.g. because REX is on a shared disk maintained by someone else) ** The update files should arrive soon (as one continous deck ** ** to be YDISK LOADed). The first file (REXSUP SENDLIST) lists ** ** those included. **