Default option

The default option of the EVALUATE subcommand retrieves an unsigned binary number from a dump and uses that number as its return code. The number in the dump may span 1 to 4 bytes.

Note: If a 4-byte number is used as a return code, EVALUATE translates the high-order byte of the number to zeros after retrieving it from the dump and before using it as a return code. This reduces the actual precision of the value from 32-bits (0 to 2³¹-1) to 24-bits (0 to 2²³-1) because the latter is the precision used for TSO command and subcommand return codes.

In a CLIST, the subcommand following EVALUATE can refer to the return code with the CLIST variable &LASTCC. EVALUATE has little use other than in CLISTs because the return code is made available by the CLIST variable &LASTCC.

Each subcommand in a CLIST resets &LASTCC. Thus, the data retrieved by EVALUATE must be examined or moved from &LASTCC before another subcommand in the CLIST overlays it.

Use caution in using the contents of &LASTCC after this subcommand. It may contain data or a return code; however, there is no way of determining which. For example, if the specified storage cannot be retrieved, EVALUATE generates return code 12. This is, in fact, a return code indicating the failure to retrieve the data, but it can be interpreted as data.

Table 1. Return codes for the Default option
Code	Explanation
12	Severe, requested storage cannot be retrieved.
16	Terminating, an error condition from a called service routine forced an early termination.
other	Successful completion, uses the requested data as a return code.