substittution

[ocasio]

I am attempting to write a DCL procedure which will create a sql script (we are on an pen vms system) I need to be able to produce a single quote next the variable which is being substituted. does anyone know how to due this? I need to have like:
$ WRITE WRITELINE "(TO_DATE("''END_CUR_MON''", 'YYYYMMDD'));"

[Jan van den Ende · Accepted solution]

ocasio,

First:

Welcome to the VMS forum!

Your question:

two ways of doing this:
1. VERY carefully count your single and double quotes. A lone single quote between double quotes DOES go on as itself.
2 (more controlled, better readable, and also allows for two consecutive single quotes:
Set up a symbol (eg QUOTE) with the ASCI value of a single quote (I do have not got it handy right now) and trigger symbol substitution each time need the single quote

hth

Proost.

Have one on me (maybe in May in Nashua?)

jpe

[ocasio]

Thanks so very much! I had been expiermenting and decided to go online because I was sure someone else had ran into this b4.

Yes, I'll have one and toast to you! (unfortunately won't be able to do it in Nassau

[Robert Atkinson]

You can also embed quotes inside quotes by specifying 3 double quotes :-

$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "This """word""" has quotes around it"
This "WORD" has quotes around it

Rob.