What does it mean when I get a RC (-2) from LINKPGM in a REXX exec? - zos

Question

I "borrowed" the LPINFOX REXX program from this url: [http://www.longpelaexpertise.com/toolsLPinfoX.php]
When I run it "directly" (EX 'hlq.EXEC(LPINFOX)') it runs fine:
------------------------------------------------------
LPInfo: Information for z/OS ssssssss as of 18 Mar 2021
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z/OS version: 02.04
Sysplex name: LOCAL
JES: JES2 z/OS 2.4 (Node nnnn)
Security Software: RACF
CEC: 3907-Z02 (IBM Z z14 ZR1)
CEC Serial: ssssss
CEC Capacity mmmm MSU
LPAR name: llll
LPAR Capacity mmm`enter code here` MSU
Not running under a z/VM image
But, if I insert the call into another exec, I get a RC -2 from the address LINKPGM call:
------------------------------------------------------
LPInfo: Information for z/OS ssssssss as of 18 Mar 2021
------------------------------------------------------
z/OS version: 02.04
Sysplex name: LOCAL
JES: JES2 z/OS 2.4 (Node N1)
Security Software: RACF
79 - Address Linkpgm 'IWMQVS QVS_Out'
+++ RC(-2) +++
CEC: -
CEC Serial:
LPAR name:
Not running under a z/VM image
I'm sure this has to do with the second level of REXX program running, but what can I do about the error (besides queueing up the EXecution of the second REXX)? I'm also stumped on where this RC is documented...my Google search for "REXX ADDRESS RC -2" comes up short.
Thanks,
Scott
PS(1), per answer from #phunsoft:
Interesting. I didn't copy the code to my other REXX. I invoked LPINFOX from within another rexx: I have a hlq.LOGIN.EXEC that has a "EX 'hlq.LPINFOX.EXEC" statement within it. When I reduce the first exec to "TEST1" (follows), it fails the same way:
/* REXX */
"EXECUTIL TS"
"EX 'FAGEN.LPINFOX.EXEC'"
exit 0
When I run TEST1, this is the output from the EXECUTIL from around the IWMQVS call:
When I run LPINFOX.EXEC directly from the command line, the output is the same, except the address LINKPGM IWMQVS works fine:
I can only surmise that there is some environmental difference when I run the exec "standalone" vs. when I run the exec from another exec.
PS(2), per question about replacing IWMQVS with IEFBR14 from phunsoft:
Changing the program to IEFBR14 doesn't change the result, RC=-2.

Answer 1

LINKPGM is a TSO/E REXX host command environment, so you need to search in the TSO/E REXX Reference. From that book:
Additionally, for the LINKMVS, ATTCHMVS, LINKPGM, and ATTCHPGM
environments, the return code set in RC may be -2, which indicates that processing
of the variables was not successful. Variable processing may have been
unsuccessful because the host command environment could not:
o Perform variable substitution before linking to or attaching the program
o Update the variables after the program completed
Difficult to say what th problem is without seeing the code.
You may want to use REXX's trace feature to debug. Do you run this REXX from TSO/E foreground? If so, you might run TSO EXECUTIL TS just before you start that REXX. It will then run as if trace ?i wa specified as the fist line of the code.
I've had look at the LPINFOX EXEC and saw that variable QVS_Out is set as follows just before linking to IWMQVS:
QVS_Outlen = 500 /* Output area length */
QVS_Outlenx = Right(x2c(d2x(QVS_Outlen)),4,d2c(0))
/* Get length as fullword */
QVS_Out = QVS_Outlenx || Copies('00'X,QVS_Outlen-4)
Did you do this also when you copied the call to your other REXX?