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HCL Workload Automation for Z
Welcome to the HCL Workload Automation for Z documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use the product.
Workload Automation Programming Language for z/OS User's Guide and Reference
Core programming commands
The following sections describe the Workload Automation Programming Language commands that control the behavior and logic of the program. Use the commands to set options, return codes, determine an output, modify the flow, change variables, or make decisions.
DO and END – Block and Loop commands
Use the DO and END commands to designate a block of code to run together. You can either use them to group multiple commands for IF-THEN-ELSE or to repeat blocks of code.
Repeat DO loop
A repeat DO runs a block of code for the specified number of times, with a simple repeat count as the argument.

HCL Workload Automation for Z
Welcome to the HCL Workload Automation for Z documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use the product.
- Program Directory
- Dynamic Workload Console Readmes
  For the latest information about a Dynamic Workload Console fix pack, see the appropriate Readme File.
- Planning and Installation
- Customization and Tuning
- Managing the Workload
  You can plan when and how your workload runs and manage it as part of a plan.
- Scheduling End-to-end with z-centric Capabilities
- Quick Reference
- Diagnosis Guide and Reference
- Workload Automation Programming Language for z/OS User's Guide and Reference
  - About this publication
  - Overview
    The Workload Automation Programming Language is a programming language that provides you with easy access to the features of the HCL Workload Automation for Z Program Interface (PIF).
  - Running Workload Automation Programming Language
    You can run Workload Automation Programming Language as a batch job by using the compiled REXX exec, as a load module, online within a TSO session, as a started task workstation, or as a console command. A user program must run as an authorized program.
  - Core programming commands
    The following sections describe the Workload Automation Programming Language commands that control the behavior and logic of the program. Use the commands to set options, return codes, determine an output, modify the flow, change variables, or make decisions.
    - CALL – Execute external program, subroutine, or variable
      Use the CALL command to call routines that might be in another REXX routine or variable.
    - DISPLAY – Echo information to SYSTPRT
      Use the DISPLAY command to echo information to the SYSTSPRT output.
    - DO and END – Block and Loop commands
      Use the DO and END commands to designate a block of code to run together. You can either use them to group multiple commands for IF-THEN-ELSE or to repeat blocks of code.
      - Block DO
        A block DO runs a block of code once, and has no arguments.
      - Repeat DO loop
        A repeat DO runs a block of code for the specified number of times, with a simple repeat count as the argument.
      - Iterative DO loop
        Use the iterative DO to increment or decrement a loop counter. The loop is processed for each possible value of the variable within the limits specified. By default, the value is increased by one each time; you can modify this setting with the BY keyword.
      - DO While loop
        Use the DO WHILE statement to run the block of code while the expression is true. If the expression is untrue when the DO WHILE statement is processed for the first time, the contents of the DO|END block are not run, and processing continues from the command after the END statement.
      - DO Until loop
        Use the DO UNTIL statement to run the block of code until the expression is true. The contents of a DO UNTIL block will always run at least once, even if the expression is true the first time the DO statement is processed. Every time the END statement is processed the expression is evaluated again; if not true, processing returns to the DO statement for another pass through the block of code.
      - DO Forever loop
        Use the DO FOREVER command to repeat a block until the global loop limit is reached or a LEAVE or EXIT command is found.
    - DROP – Drop elements from memory
      Use the DROP command to drop saved structures from memory.
    - EXIT – Terminate processing
      Use the EXIT statement to terminate processing at that point.
    - FILTER – Post process selected records to reduce output
      Use the FILTER command to post process what was returned to Workload Automation Programming Language from HCL Workload Automation for Z, to selectively reduce the output actually returned by Workload Automation Programming Language.
    - GOTO – Continue execution from an in scope label
      Use the GOTO command to allow the process to skip to a named line of code, as long as it is in scope.
    - IF-THEN-ELSE – Conditional execution
      Use the IF and THEN construct to conditionally execute a Workload Automation Programming Language statement, or block of statements if true. Use the ELSE statement to allow an alternative statement or block to run, if the condition is not true. These commands use underlying REXX processing to evaluate the expression.
    - INCLUDE – Include code from other data sets or members to be run
      Use the INCLUDE statement to include Workload Automation Programming Language statements from other data sets or members in the Workload Automation Programming Language command stream. With this command, you can also access user fields belonging to the operation that controls the job to use their values as SYSIN.
    - ITERATE – Proceed to the next iteration of current loop
      Use the ITERATE command to exit the current iteration of a DO block, and resume processing at the DO statement.
    - LEAVE – Exit the current loop
      Use the LEAVE command to exit the current iteration of a DO block, and resume processing following the END statement.
    - LOG – Echo information to the log
      Use the LOG command to echo information to the log output.
    - MERGE – Merge SAVELIST output
      Use the MERGE command to merge the contents of two lists into a single list with no duplicates.
    - NOACT – Peform no action
      The main purpose of the NOACT command is to be a null action for complex IF expressions where the action you really want is the ELSE condition.
    - OPTIONS – Define run time options and PIF requests
      Use the OPTIONS commands to set both Workload Automation Programming Language and HCL Workload Automation for Z options.
    - OUTPUT – Define output record
    - READ – Read an external file or the external data queue
      Use the READ command to load external data sources into OBJECT variables.
    - RETURN – Exit the subroutine
      Use the RETURN command to exit the subroutine and return the processing to the instruction that follows the CALL command.
    - SETMAX – Manipulate the maximum return code
      Use the SETMAX command to modify the maximum return code and maximum response code, at any point in the Workload Automation Programming Language command sequence.
    - SETSEV – Set message severity
      Use the SETSEV command to change the severity of an individual message in Workload Automation Programming Language to allow different return code processing to take place.
    - SHOW – Show diagnostic information
      Use the SHOW command to show diagnostic information, to help you understand with what information Workload Automation Programming Language is operating.
    - SUBROUTINE – Indicate the start of a subroutine
      Use the SUBROUTINE statement to indicate the start of a new subroutine, which can be run by the CALL SUB command.
    - TRANSLATE – Define rules for life-cycle translation
      Use the TRANSLATE command to set up a series of rules to translate values of specific fields, or types of fields in the Batch Loader output generated by Workload Automation Programming Language. This command affects only Batch Loader output.
    - WAIT – Delay before continuing with the next command
      Use the WAIT command to swap out the job for a specified amount of time.
    - WRITE – Echo information to a file or the external data queue
      Use the WRITE command to echo information to a file or to the external data queue.
  - Workload Automation Programming Language functions
    Some commands in Workload Automation Programming Language operate in REXX mode. These commands are CONSOLE, DISPLAY, DO, IF, LOG, SETVAR when the equal sign (=) is used, and WRITE.
  - Data Access commands based on PIF
    The Data Access commands supported by Workload Automation Programming Language are low level commands based on the HCL Workload Automation for Z programming interface (PIF).
  - Current Plan Operation commands
    Use the Current Plan Operation commands to perform specific functions against operations in the current plan, using a common set of keywords to identify the operation you want.
  - Current Plan Occurrence commands
    Use the Current Plan Occurrence commands to perform specific functions against all operations within a single occurrence in the current plan, using a common set of keywords to identify the occurrence.
  - Function Based commands
    The Function Based commands combine various low level PIF commands. Use the Function Based commands to perform specific scheduling or operational functions.
  - Using TSO commands within Workload Automation Programming Language
    Some TSO commands are specific to HCL Workload Automation for Z; you can run them natively in TSO, through program EQQEVPGM, and through Workload Automation Programming Language.
  - Batch loader commands
    The batch loader function of Workload Automation Programming Language uses a set of statements to define or modify objects within the HCL Workload Automation for Z database.
  - Variable substitution
    Workload Automation Programming Language supports variable substitution within its control statements. In this way, the actual values required for each command run are provided (for example, the occurrence name or Input Arrival date).
  - Performance considerations
    With Workload Automation Programming Language you can use different methods to perform the same action. Each method has different implications for ease of use and performance, the balance of which might change depending on the volume of records to which it is being directed.
  - Resource reference
  - OPTIONS keywords
    Use the following keywords with the OPTIONS statement.
  - Workload Automation Programming Language variables
    In addition to the HCL Workload Automation for Z variables and user variables, Workload Automation Programming Language has access to some additional information relating to the job running Workload Automation Programming Language and when scheduled the operation and occurrence within which it is running.
  - WAPLEXEC programs
    The Workload Automation Programming Language for z/OS is a REXX based tool provided to give you easy access to the features of the HCL Workload Automation for Z Program Interface (PIF). Workload Automation Programming Language can be extended by WAPLEXEC programs, which are REXX programs using Workload Automation Programming Language functions to tackle specific tasks or functions.
  - Messages and Return Codes
    Messages and return codes provide information for problems occurred.
- Driving HCL Workload Automation for Z

Repeat DO loop

A repeat DO runs a block of code for the specified number of times, with a simple repeat count as the argument.

For example, the DISPLAY command is run 3 times:

DO 3
DISPLAY “HELLO”
END

Use the ITERATE command at any point in the block to start the next iteration of the currently active loop from the DO statement again. Use the LEAVE command to exit the currently active loop and resume processing following the corresponding END statement.

The ITERATE and LEAVE commands can be used only to exit the currently active block.