Using stems

When working with compound variables, it is often useful to initialize an entire collection of variables to the same value. You can do this easily by using an assignment that includes a stem. For example, number.=0 initializes all array elements in the array named number. to 0.

You can change the values of all compound variables in an array the same way. For example, to change all employee names to Nobody , use the following assignment instruction:

 employee. = 'Nobody'

As a result, all compound variables beginning with the stem employee., previously assigned or not, have the value Nobody. After a stem assignment, you can assign individual compound variables new values.

employee.='Nobody'
SAY employee.5               /* Produces 'Nobody' */
SAY employee.10              /* Produces 'Nobody' */
SAY employee.oldest          /* Produces 'Nobody' */

employee.new = 'Clark, Evans'
SAY employee.new             /* Produces 'Clark, Evans' */

You can use stems with the EXECIO and RFS commands when reading to and writing from a file. See EXECIO and RFS. RFS is the preferred I/O method under CICS.