Coding variables in JCL
A variable, either user-defined or supplied by HCL Workload Automation for Z, consists of up to 8 alphanumeric characters, the first of which must be alphabetic. When using a variable in a job, precede it with an ampersand (&), a percent sign (%), or a question mark (?). The symbol preceding the variable determines how HCL Workload Automation for Z carries out the variable substitution. A period can denote the end of a variable name. You can use a variable repeatedly within the job using different prefix symbols.
| Symbol | Description |
|---|---|
| , | Comma |
| / | Forward slash |
| ' | Single quotation mark |
| ( | Left parenthesis |
| ) | Right parenthesis |
| * | Asterisk |
| & | Ampersand |
| && | Double ampersand |
| % | Percent sign |
| + | Plus sign |
| - | Dash |
| = | Equals sign |
| Blank ( ) | |
| Blank | |
| ? | Question mark |
To maintain compatibility with variable substitution within z/OS® JCL procedures, HCL Workload Automation for Z will assume that a variable has ended (even if the completing period is missing) if the variable is followed by one of the symbols listed in Symbols that mark the end of variables. An ampersand or percent variable can be assigned a value that is itself a variable.
For example, if LIBRARY is given
the value LINKLIB for the following statement:
//STEPLIB DD DSN=MY.&LIBRARY.(IEFBR14),DISP=SHRor the following statement (without the completing period):
//STEPLIB DD DSN=MY.&LIBRARY(IEFBR14),DISP=SHRThe JCL line becomes as follows:
//STEPLIB DD DSN=MY.LINKLIB(IEFBR14),DISP=SHRThe product assumes that the variable LIBRARY ends
when it detects the left parenthesis '('.