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Run CL Commands From Interactive SQL

When I am using Interactive SQL/400 (i.e., STRSQL) and need to run a CL command, I have to exit SQL, run the command, and re-enter SQL. Is there any way to run system commands within an interactive SQL session?

Here's the deal. IBM has not provided a way to run CL commands from an SQL session, but you can create a stored procedure to run them. Here are two examples to get you started.

The first one creates a stored procedure, called EXCCMD, to run program QCMDEXC:

 
CREATE PROCEDURE mylib/exccmd              
(IN cmd CHAR (32000), IN len DEC (15,5)) 
LANGUAGE CL                                 
NOT DETERMINISTIC                           
NO SQL                                      
EXTERNAL NAME QSYS/QCMDEXC                  
PARAMETER STYLE GENERAL

Once you have created this stored procedure, you will be able to run CL commands using the SQL CALL command:

call exccmd ('wrkoutq garbage',15)

Here's the SQL command to create a stored procedure called CMD, which brings up a pop-up window like the one you get when you press F21 from Screen Entry Utility (SEU):

CREATE PROCEDURE mylib/cmd  
LANGUAGE CL                  
NOT DETERMINISTIC            
NO SQL                       
EXTERNAL NAME QSYS/QUSCMDLN  
PARAMETER STYLE GENERAL
 

To run CL commands, type the following command in your interactive SQL session:

call cmd

To resume entering SQL commands, press Enter with an empty command line, or press F12.

-- Ted Holt October 12, 2001 issue of the OS/400 Edition of the Midrange Guru technical tips newsletter.

Volume 1, Number 6

A publication from Midrange Server, Inc.

http://www.itjungle.com

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