o o
                                                                  ____oo_
                             R  E  X  X               1992-2020  /||    |\
                              Ver. 2.x                   BNV      ||    |
                             for  MSDOS                MARMITA    `.___.'
                              and Unix                   SOFT


             Author.........Vasilis N. Vlachoudis
             Address........19Q rue du Jura
                            St.Genis-Pouilly F-1630
                            France
             Computer addr..Vasilis.Vlachoudis@cern.ch
             Http addr......http://home.cern.ch/bnv
             Last updated...Jun-2011


 What is REXX?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     REXX is a programming language designed by Michael Cowlishaw of
 IBM UK Laboratories.  In his own words:  "REXX is a procedural
 language that allows programs and algorithms to be written in a
 clear and structured way."

     Syntactically, REXX doesn't look that different from any other
 procedural language.  Here's a simple REXX program:

             /* Count some numbers */

             say "Counting..."
             do i = 1 to 10
                 say "Number" i
             end

     What makes REXX different from most other languages is its
 capability for being used as a _macro language_ for arbitrary
 applications.  The idea here is that application developers don't
 have to design their own macro languages and accompanying
 interpreters. Instead they use REXX as the basis for that language
 and support the REXX programming interface. When a REXX program
 runs and comes across an expression or function that isn't part of
 the base language definition, it can ask the application if it
 knows how to handle it.  The application only has to support
 features that are specific to it, freeing the developer from
 handling the mundane task of writing a language interpreter.  And
 if all applications use REXX as their macro language, the user only
 has to learn one language instead of a dozen.


 About this REXX interpreter
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I wrote this version of REXX because I though that it would be
 nice to have my own REXX interpreter do use it with DOS, UNIX and
 also as a macro language for my programs. This REXX interpreter is
 written in ANSI C, and I have tried to make it fast and flexible,
 with very little restrictions, without lossing compatibility with
 the Ansi-Rexx


 Files in this distribution
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Versions are included for PC, UNIX and MAC operating systems.
 However users are encourage to download the source code and
 recompile their own version. See INSTALL for more instructions.
 Versions for MVS and CMS can also be built and have their own
 instructions in directories "mvs" and "cms" respectively.
 Look for *.txt files.

 brexx-XYZ.zip                  VX.Y.Z Binary for MSDOS, examples,
                                libs and docs compiled with BC++ V3.1

 brexx86v-XYZ.zip               VX.Y.Z Binary for 8086, examples,
                                libs and docs compiled with BC++ V3.1

 brexx-X.Y.Z.tar.gz             VX.Y.Z Source code, examples,
                                libs and docs

 brexx-X.Y.Z.src.rpm            VX.Y.Z Source RPM code, examples,
                                libs and docs

 brexx-X.Y.Z.i386.rpm           VX.Y.Z Redhat V9.0 RPM, examples,
                                libs and docs

 brexx-XYZ_HPC.zip              VX.Y.Z Binary for Windows CE V2.0,2.1 for
                                SH3 and MIPS processor, examples,
                                libs and docs and setup program.

 brexx-XYZ_HPCPRO.zip           VX.Y.Z Binary for Windows HPCPRO CE V2.11 for
                                SH3,SH4,MIPS and StrongARM processor, examples,
                                libs and docs and setup program.

 brexx-XYZ_PPC.zip              VX.Y.Z Binary for Windows PPC CE V2.11 for
                                SH3 and MIPS processor, examples,
                                libs and docs and setup program.

 brexx-XYZ_POCKETPC.zip         VX.Y.Z Binary for Windows Pocket PC CE V3.0 for
                                SH3,MIPS and StrongARM processor, examples,
                                libs and docs and setup program.

 brexx200_amiga.tgz             V2.0.x Binary for AMIGA, examples,
                                libs and docs. Needs ixemul.library.
                                (by Generoso Martello)

 v13/brexx131.zip               Binary, examples, libs and docs
                                compiled with BC++ V3.1

 v13/brexx_1.31_hpux.tar.gz     Binary, examples, libs and docs
                                compiled on HP-UX V9

 v13/brexx_1.31_linux.tar.gz    Binary, examples, libs and docs
                                compiled on linux.

 v13/brexx_1.31_rsaix32.tar.gz  Binary, examples, libs and docs
                                compiled on IBM AIX

 v13/brexx_1.31_src.tar.gz      Source that can be compiled on most
                                of the unix systems and DOS.

 brexx_1.3m_mpw.dd.hqx          Binary, examples, libs and docs
                                for MPW Macintosh shell.

 brexx_1.3m_src.dd.hqx          Source, examples, libs and docs
                                for MPW Macintosh shell.


 32-bit BRexx for DOS and Ms-Windows
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    This 32-bit version of BRexx was compiled by Generoso Martello,
 with DJGPP V2.x. The advantages of this version are:
   o  60-80% FASTER than the 16-bit DOS version
   o  there isn't anymore the limitation of the 640Kb of
      DOS memory and the 64kb (segment) per each manipulated data.
      It can use all the memory resources of your computer.
   o  LONG FILENAME support for Windows-95/98.

    Unfortunately, INTR and PORT are not supported in the 32-bit
 version, but Generoso Martello has provided some of the commonly
 used routines from conio.r and ansi.r as built-in. The following
 is a note describing his routines.


 Amiga Version
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 AMIGA BREXX EXECUTABLE (03/04/1999) compiled by Generoso Martello
                                            generoso@martello.com
                                            Catanzaro Lido (ITALY)

 This is the Amiga executable of BRexx Interpreter. It requires
 ixemul.library.  I tested Brexx on my old Amiga 68040/25 and it seems
 to be 40%-50% faster than the Amiga ARexx.  I am planning also to
 supply an external library in order to make the BRexx almost 100%
 compatible with the Amiga ARexx.  Unfortunately the use of 'ADDRESS'
 for addressing to an external host (to the ARexx port of Amiga
 programs for getting advantage of their commands and functions) can't
 be done through an external library, but it has to be done adding the
 necessary code to the 'ADDRESS' routines of Brexx source code.  Well
 I'd like to do that too.  For now, enjoy of this really fast and
 powerfull rexx interpreter


 Future of BREXX:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  * A REXX compiler REXX to Ansi-C.
  * Socket's Functions for network support.

 I would be glad to hear any comments and ideas of how this
 program can be improved. Questions or Comments about BREXX
 should be sent to any of the above addresses.


 Y2K
 ~~~
    Normally BRexx is Y2K compliant, but it depends on the
 compiler that has been used for the compilation for the interpter
 and the user's code. The DATE() function has various options
         date()=date(n)  ->      dd mmm yyyy  /* Normalised */
         date(s)         ->      yyyymmdd     /* Sorted     */
         date(e)         ->      dd/mm/yy     /* European   */
         date(o)         ->      yy/mm/dd     /* Ordered    */
         date(u)         ->      mm/dd/yy     /* USA        */
 The user are encouraged to use the Normalised or the Sorted format
 in order to ensure consistent functionality of his script for
 dates prior and after 2000.


 Reviews
 ~~~~~~~
    A review dated Jan-99 from Frank Clarke, REXX Language Association
 for this interpreter can be found at the Newletters of the
 Rexx language association site at:
      http://www.rexxla.org/Newsletter/9901brexx.html


 The special features of the REXX interpreter are:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   o  All rexx commands and functions have easy and very simple
      names.
   o  Rexx variables are not declared as strings, integers, reals,
      or any other kind of variable. All variables are handled
      as strings. Only in arithmetic operations must variables
      evaluate to a valid number.
      ie.    ' -2' + 3    will evaluate to '1'
            left(21+6,1)  will return '2'
            left('amo',1) will return 'a'
   o  There is no need to declare any variable,function before you
      use it All variables are evaluate to their name, the first
      time they are used.
   o  There is no any limitation in the size of each variable (or
      array) except the convential memory (Only in the 16bit-DOS
      version, the maximum allocated memory per variable will be
      1 segment 64kb)
   o  When rexx intrepreter doesn't understand one command it pass
      it to the operating system (default) to execute it, or to any
      other program you want.
   o  Rexx has a large library with lot of string handling
      functions.
   o  A very powerful PARSE command, where you can parse a string
      (from several sources) according to a template in anything you
      like.


 This rexx interpreter features also:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   o  A mathematic library with all the scientific functions,
      sin,cos...
   o  The ability to create new libraries for rexx programs. (Look
      the IMPORT commands)
   o  Very flexible routines for file I/O
   o  It has its own stack that make very easy the communication
      with the operating system.
   o  Any program that uses the standard input/output can be used as
      rexx function.
      ie  a = 'cd'()  /* returns the current directory, by calling CD
                         command of DOS */
      available to be called from rexx.


 What is the reference book for REXX?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     The "standard" reference for REXX is Mike Cowlishaw's _The REXX
 Language: A Practical Approach To Programming_, currently in its
 second edition.  (The first edition had "REXX" in blue on the
 cover, the second edition has it in red instead.)  Mike's book is
 often referred to as either "TRL" or "the red book".  Until the
 ANSI committee releases its standard, TRL is the document that
 defines what REXX is.  (See the bibliography below for details on
 TRL.)


 Selected bibliography
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     This is from Mike Cowlishaw.  Note that a VERY complete
 bibliography can be found in _The REXX Handbook_.  (Any updates to
 the bibliography should be sent to Linda Suskind Green,
 greenls@gdlvm7.vnet.ibm.com, who will pass them on to the
 appropriate persons.)

       Modern Programming Using REXX -- Robert P. O'Hara and David
       R. Gomberg
           In English:   ISBN 0-13-597311-2   Prentice-Hall, 1985
                         ISBN 0-13-579329-5     (Second edition), 1988

       The REXX Language -- M. F. Cowlishaw
           In English:   ISBN 0-13-780735-X   Prentice-Hall, 1985
                         ISBN 0-13-780651-5     (Second edition), 1990
           In German:    ISBN 3-446-15195-8   Carl Hanser Verlag, 1988
                         ISBN 0-13-780784-8   P-H International, 1988
           In Japanese:  ISBN 4-7649-0136-6   Kindai-kagaku-sha, 1988

       REXX In the TSO Environment -- Gabriel F. Gargiulo
           ISBN 0-89435-354-3, QED Information Systems Inc.,
           Order #CC3543;  320 pages, 1990

       Practical Usage of REXX -- Anthony S. Rudd
           ISBN 0-13-682790-X, Ellis Horwood (Simon & Schuster), 1990

       Using ARexx on the Amiga -- Chris Zamara and Nick Sullivan
           ISBN 1-55755-114-6, 424pp+diskette, Abacus, 1991

       The REXX Handbook -- Edited by Gabe Goldberg and Phil Smith III
           ISBN 0-07-023682-8, 672pp, McGraw Hill, 1991

       Amiga Programmer's Guide to ARexx -- Eric Giguere
           Commodore-Amiga, Inc., 1991

       Programming in REXX -- Charles Daney
           ISBN 0-07-015305-1, 300pp, McGraw Hill, 1992

       Command Language Cookbook for Mainframes, Minicomputers,
            and PCs: DOS/OS/2, Batch Language, CLIST, DCL, Perl, REXX
             -- Hallett German
           Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992
           ISBN 0-442-00801-5, 366 pages, paperback, $49.95

     Note that IBM also publishes a whole slew of REXX-related
     documents, sometimes referring to REXX as the "SAA Procedures
     Language".  One of these documents is the SAA CPI Procedures
     Language Level 2 Reference, SC24-5549.


 Information on ANSI and REXX
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) sets national
 standards for various things in the United States, including
 programming languages. The X3J18 REXX Standards Committee has been
 established to defined a formal standard for the REXX language,
 using TRL as its base document. The Committee meets 3 or 4 times a
 year and holds ongoing discussions throughout the year.  Members of
 X3J18 mostly include REXX implementors and some users, but anyone
 can participate.  More information on X3J18 can be had from Brian
 Marks (chair), marks@winvmd.vnet.ibm.com or Neil Milsted
 (vice-chair), nfnm@wrkgrp.com.
 The official web site is http://www.rexxla.org


 Newsgroups and mailing lists
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     On Usenet the group comp.lang.rexx exists for discussion of
 REXX in all its variations.  Currently the comp.lang.rexx newsgroup
 is also gatewayed with the REXXLIST mailing list (i.e., anything
 that gets posted to the newsgroup is sent to everyone on the
 mailing list and anything that is sent to the mailing list gets
 posted to the newsgroup).


 DISCLAIMER
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 THE SOFTWARE  REFERENCED  IS MADE  AVAILABLE AS - IS. THE AUTHOR
 MAKES NO WARRANTY ABOUT THE  SOFTWARE AND ITS CONFORMITY TO ANY
 APPLICATION. THE AUTHOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE, LOSS OF
 DATA, OR LOSS OF MONEY CAUSED BY THIS PROGRAM.