[Info-vax] Logical names, was: Re: Command Procedure Pipe output to a variable

[VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG]

In article <sjqapo$3ep$2 at dont-email.me>, Simon Clubley <clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> writes:
>On 2021-10-08, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>> On 10/8/2021 3:02 PM, VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>>> In article <sjq1cj$2rc$1 at dont-email.me>, Simon Clubley <clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> writes:
>>>> On 2021-10-08, Stephen Hoffman <seaohveh at hoffmanlabs.invalid> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> As for the use of logical names in managing apps, the sheer unmitigated
>>>>> joy of having some logical name silently and out-of-band defined
>>>>> somewhere else utterly derailing production processing in some weird
>>>>> way is something I will always treasure, of course.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps what we need is a schema for logical name tables so that
>>>> only expected logical names can appear in a table. :-)
>>>>
>>>> On a more serious note, does anyone else wish you could attach a comment
>>>> to a logical name definition so that you could see in SHOW LOGICAL
>>>> what the purpose of a logical is ?
>>>>
>>>> The comment could also include the valid values as well if the logical
>>>> is used for configuration.
>>>
>>> Good grief.
>>>
>
>I see you like my suggestion about as well as normal Brian. :-)
>
>>
>> An apt response.
>>
>> One does not, if one is competent, hardcode data into a program. 
>> External tables are much more appropriate for that.
>>
>
>You are not hardcoding data. You are adding a comment about what
>the logical name does, including any valid values it can contain
>if you are using it as a configuration variable.
>
>Do you document the fields in the definition for an ISAM table ?
>
>Do you document the fields within the definition of a SQL table ?
>
>Do you document the fields for the tables in your own database ?
>
>Do you document the variables within your programs ?
>
>Do you document the variables within your command procedures ?
>
>Logical names are variables in the same way as all of the above and
>it would be nice to be able to document them at source in the same
>way as you can all of the above (hopefully including your own
>database).
>
>BTW, definitions within application programs are only one way in
>which logicals can be defined.

When I see it in your precious un*x, then I might sconsider your SIR.
Environment variable with all sorts of uncouth cryptic translations
begs for your request more than any VMS logical.

-- 
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker    VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG

I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.