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Status Needs more information
Workspace z/OS Explorer
Categories Host
Created by Guest
Created on Dec 22, 2025

RELATED IDEAS

Automatically escape & character in TSO commands when using the ISPF Interactive gateway

In IDz v17, executing a TSO command like TSO EXEC 'MY.SRC.REXX(HELLO)' '>&<'  results in the REXX getting the arguments as ;;;

For example with a REXX script like:

/* REXX */ 

Arg arg1 

say arg1

 

It works when the & is escaped as && with TSO EXEC 'MY.SRC.REXX(HELLO)' '&>&&&<' as per ISPF documentation https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/3.1.0?topic=srrpd-using-variables-literal-expressions-in-text-fields-panel-sections

It will be very useful if Explorer for z/OS would escape it automatically so that the user or custom plugin doesn't need to remember what the escape character is and that it needs to be escaped and how.

Idea priority Low
  • Admin
    Jason Chung
    Mar 3, 2026

    Thank you for taking the time with your idea suggestion.


    "In ISPF syntax, the ampersand (&) is used primarily as a prefix to define and reference dialog variables.".
    Dynamic system variable substitution in ISPF interception of the command sent by RSE using RSE ISPF TSO gateway is commonly valid.
    The escape of & symbol is the requirement imposed by ISPF rule, not RSE.
    For that, it's reasonable and safer for user to explicitly escape the symbol & when it is meant to in the command and argument sent to RSED for execution to avoid skipping wrongly the intended dynamic predefined variable substitution.

    If you would like to forcefully and automatically &-escape in all cases for the commands and args sent to IDz/RSE host, then (RSE) host could consider introducing an option to do that. The option could be set per IDz client preference, or at IDz/RSE host scope that is applicable for all connections to this RSE/IDz host.


    Please let me know what you think.

    Reply

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