Are all mainframe utilities written in Assembler?

[LearnzOS]

Hi,

Utilities like IDCAMS,IKJEFT01 etc. are written in assembler? Or in some other language? Or are they developed usng some other langauge?

Do they also have SDK, like WordPress etc?

[enrico-sorichetti]

once upon a time the system was written in PURE ASSEMBLER

IBM felt more productive to use a high level language approach and developed
PL/S ==> Programming language for system
with a PL/I-PL/1 like syntax but with clauses to allow strict control over register utilisation and inline assembler

PL/S after a while evolved to PL/X

if You are allowed You can browse sys1.maclib and/or sys1.modgen
and You will find quite a few examples of it

[nicc]

At least parts of MQ are written in C - I was interviewed with regards to a position on the team - but my C is basic at best.

[LearnzOS]

PL/S and PL/X are new words we've never heardof it but are they available for programming to us programmers or it was internal to IBM only??

[enrico-sorichetti]

IBM Internal Use ONLY

[Nitin Kumar]

Picking up on thi stopic - So if I've to start creating some utility for mainframes, where shoul I get started without learning PL/S or PL/X?

[Robert Sample]

where shoul I get started without learning PL/S or PL/X?

I am constantly amazed at the number of neophytes (some with less than 2 years experience of mainframes) that want to write utilities. The rule of thumb I was taught back in my Computer Science coursework is that utilities are THREE times harder to write than an application program, and operating systems are in turn three times harder to write than utilities. Considering how many neophytes cannot code up an application program, that means the chances of their successfully writing a utility are very small.

If you want to write a utility, start by learning Assembler. Once you know Assembler well enough that the Principles of Operations manual hold no mysteries, then write your utility.

[Nitin Kumar]

Thanks.