PL/I source file overview

Use PL/I source files in HCL OneTest API to test PL/I data files or the applications that produce and use them.

You can add PL/I source files to HCL OneTest API and apply them to messages. PL/I source files provide a format that is meaningful to the system under test.

PL/I data files do not contain information about their own organization and record structure. If you have a PL/I data file, but no program capable of writing or reading this file, you cannot correctly interpret the data that the file contains.

The information that describes the physical layout of program data, that is, how the records and fields relate to each other, is stored in a PL/I source file. This file is included in all of the applications that process the file.

PL/I source files are named with .pli and .inc extensions, and typically include one or more DCL structures. These structures can be made available within HCL OneTest API as message schemas that can be used to create or parse the data in files or messages.

PL/I source file schemas can be applied to any of the following fields:
  • Byte array fields, in messages where you can use the Byte Array formatter
  • Bytes message types, set within the message body when you are using any of the JMS providers
  • Text messages, which you can format according to the applied schema.

Supported PL/I statements

The following DCL types are supported:
  • String types, including BIT, CHAR, WIDECHAR, GRAPHIC
  • Arithmetic types, including (SIGNED/UNSIGNED) (FIXED/FLOAT) BIN/DEC REAL/COMPLEX
  • Picture string type
  • Array (multi-dimensioned)
  • Structure
  • Union