SPECIAL-NAMES switches. Set up and debugging

[h11tsr]

I am amending a program that declares some switches in the SPECIAL-NAMES section.

CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
SWITCH 1 IS FAX-ADDRESS
ON IS x
OFF IS y
SWITCH 2 IS FAX-SWITCH
ON IS FAX-ON
OFF IS FAX-OFF

The switches are used within the program, but not set and hence must be set outside the program as some kind of global logical.

I am currentlt developing on a VAX/VMS and have two questions:

1. Where would these switches be set?
2. How can I view/manipulate these within a debug session

Thanks in advance.

 

[webrabbit]

Which compiler are you using? Vendor and version.

 

[h11tsr]

running on VAX and using VAX COBOL V5.3

I have found the logical associated to this switch. It is assigned at login and reassigning will resolve, thereby satisfying the IF condition.

I also decided to write a program to make the call to my sub-routine, thereby working around the problem.

Still not sure how this all works though - External logical, etc, but there are no system calls to translate the logical??? So if anyone can shed some light ....

Regards,

 

[wahlers]

Implementing switches are vendor dependent!
This should have been described in your vendor documentation.

The following might be an alternative:
(also vendor dependent but to my knowledge more commonly used)

Instead of using switches you may consider passing switches as parameters.
(or whatever you want to call it; parameter list, directives, or like phrases...)

For this the following information might be helpfull:

http://www.simotime.com/cblpar01.htm

Regards, Wim Ahlers.