From: arne@vajhoej.dk   
      
   On 12/6/2025 5:42 AM, Marc Van Dyck wrote:   
   > Arne Vajhøj formulated on Saturday :   
   >> So what is missing for programming? I would say biggest   
   >> items are:   
   >> * loops   
   >> * switch/case   
   >> * arrays   
   >> * user defined lexicals   
   >   
   > I have been working on very long and complex DCL procedures in the past   
   > (not anymore since I'm retired) and to be honest, have never been   
   > bothered by the lack of specific loop, case, or array constructs. All   
   > of that can be pretty well implemented with the DCL structures existing   
   > today, and can be made perfectly readable if you make the effort to   
   > write your DCL code and document it clearly.   
      
   It is certainly possible. Lots of people have been doing it.   
      
   But a pre-processor could make it easier.   
      
   $ i = 1   
   $ loop_1:   
   $    if i .gt. 3 then goto end_loop_1   
   ...   
   $    i = i + 1   
   $    goto loop_1   
   $ end_loop_1:   
      
   works, but I think:   
      
   $ for i = 1 to 3   
   ...   
   $ endfor   
      
   would be nicer.   
      
   > User written lexical functions, on the other hand, would be a real   
   > bonus. There are, for one, still many parts of the operating system   
   > for which you need to get information, and the only possible way to do   
   > it is to parse some output (think of everything TCP/IP, for example),   
   > while there is a callable interface available to get the info properly.   
      
   Yes.   
      
   And even though it is possible to run an exe that set a symbol   
   with lib$set_symbol, then getting it as a lexical would make it   
   more readable.   
      
   Arne   
      
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