REXX environment for Windows 7

[HankAZ]

Are there any decent free REXX environments (prefer compiler, but will live with an interpreter) for Windows 7? Much of my job is in writing and debugging REXX code, and if I could find a developer's kit for REXX that runs on my laptop, I'd be a happy guy...

Anyone?

 

[MilesAhead]

I haven't used REXX in awhile. But seems like the last time I looked the most advanced free release you could get for Windows was Regina. Don't know if it's out specifically for W7 but it's worth a look.

Seems the latest WinOS mentioned is XP. But it may run in compatibility mode. Usually interpreter packages aren't as touchy. AutoHotkey, AutoIt3, Python seem to not care if you have Vista/W7. Plus it was updated in Dec. 2009 so I'd say it's not dead yet.

http://regina-rexx.sourceforge.net/

 

[Ztruker]

I know this is an old thread but I just came across it. I'm using IBM Object Rexx v2.13 under Windows 7 Pro X64 and it works okay. Not like it did under OS/2 but I can write some fairly complex programs with it and the file handling is excellent.

 

[DocDJ]

Has anyone found a way to invoke a Rexx program on Windows 7 WITHOUT prefixing it with the interpreter's name or specifying the extension (.rexx)?
In other words, can I append .rexx to the list of valid Windows executables?
As an alternative, can I compile my rexx/regina code to an .exe file?

 

[DocDJ]

Has anyone found a way to invoke a Rexx program on Windows 7 WITHOUT prefixing it with the interpreter's name or specifying the extension (.rexx)?
In other words, can I append .rexx to the list of valid Windows executables?
As an alternative, can I compile my rexx/regina code to an .exe file?

Answered my own question: the following program, rxtest.cmd, will start as a DOS batch command, then run itself as a Regina/Rexx program in a command prompt window. It does not require typing the file extension, which must be ".cmd". No system changes are required. Sometimes known as dual-environment program.

@rem /* running a Rexx cmd
@echo off
if NOT "%1"=="1" regina rxtest.cmd 1
goto end
rem */
say "hello world"
say "first parameter must be 1. Real Rexx parameters must follow it."
/*
:end
rem */

 

[Ztruker]

I do something similar. Each Rexx program has a identically named .bat file that invokes it. For instance, I have a SyncMail.rexx program to keep E-mail between my laptop and dektop in sync. When I type syncmail, the batch file gets invoked.

syncmail.bat

@Echo off
rexx c:\rexxprogs\syncmail.rexx %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

 

[DocDJ]

I do something similar. Each Rexx program has a identically named .bat file that invokes it. For instance, I have a SyncMail.rexx program to keep E-mail between my laptop and dektop in sync. When I type syncmail, the batch file gets invoked.

syncmail.bat

@Echo off
rexx c:\rexxprogs\syncmail.rexx %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

I originally thought about doing that, but wanted something self-contained. It's too bad WIndows doesn't let you specify the interpreter you want, like Linux does. At least I haven't found a way to do it.

 

[MilesAhead]

I do something similar. Each Rexx program has a identically named .bat file that invokes it. For instance, I have a SyncMail.rexx program to keep E-mail between my laptop and dektop in sync. When I type syncmail, the batch file gets invoked.

syncmail.bat

@Echo off
rexx c:\rexxprogs\syncmail.rexx %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

I originally thought about doing that, but wanted something self-contained. It's too bad WIndows doesn't let you specify the interpreter you want, like Linux does. At least I haven't found a way to do it.

You can get bash for win32. I haven't used Rexx with it that I remember. But I've used it to run Linux ports of tools such as "find" "ls" etc.. Using the regular command prompt there's too many slash backslash and other conflicts. Plus one liner scripts for "sed" and the like won't work as easily in cmd.exe.