Re: [netrexx-pipelines] XLATE questions

[<hp...@we...>]

Hi all!

Until the Xlate stage will be fixed in some future release of
NetRexx Pipelines I'll use plain Rexx instead. So the problem is
bypassed and I am about to debug the last two pipelines of my
program, converting the "human readable" result (which is entirely
the same as from OS/2 Pipelines) in two binary formats. My first
'whole program'-migration to NetRexx Pipelines is almost done.

After all the kind support I received from this list I still have
questions. How may I see the data in the pipeline? Option 'debug
63' does not show it. On CMS there was a PipeDemo program what
enabled to 'single-step' a pipe's data flow. Does something
similar exist here too?

I started testing by "slicing" my pipe to single stages I run in a
"executor" like this

> Address '' ripe '"(MkR_x sep !)' jfg '!take 11!term',
>     with input stem rom.

and variable jfg containing piecewise my pipe. First run:

> jfg = 'cons!spec w1 d2x 1.4 r'
results:
>    6
>   40
>    0
>   8E
>  200
>   F5
>  208
>   69
>  200
>   EB
>  20E
what differs from the role model. So I have to set
> jfg = 'cons!spec pad 0 w1 d2x 1.4 r'
results:
> 0006
> 0040
> 0000
> 008E
> 0200
> 00F5
> 0208
> 0069
> 0200
> 00EB
> 020E
-- what I do expect without pad 0. I regard this discrepancy as an
error.

Next
> jfg = 'cons!spec pad 0 w1 d2x 1.4 r!spec w1 x2c 1!spec *-* c2x 1'
is to convert from hex to character and back again to check if x2c
worked...
> 06
> 040   -- woot?
> 00
> 08E
> 20    -- was 0200
> 0F5
> 28    -- was 0208
> 069
> 20
> 0EB
> 2E    -- now I'm lost.

For me this looks like a big mess, and to achieve the binary
format there are several more Specs to follow. The goal is to
"pack" four 10-bit words to 5 bytes. What would be the best way in
NetRexx Pipelines without Vchar stage? Is this again doable only
in Rexx?

All useful ideas welcome
M.