Well, yes, to do it right you have to fix BOTH programs.  You can make it
work by fixing just the printing program, but it's a bit of a dirty fix.

Fix ONE program method: (assume cobol?)
add a file: SELECT MPEMSGS ASSIGN TO "MPEMSGS".
                 FD  MPEMSGS-FILE.
        01  MPEMSGS-RECORD PIC X(256).
in WS, add...
        01  MPE-COMMAND-STRING.
                05  MPE-COMMAND-TEXT PIC X(128).
                05  MPE-COMMAND-CR      PIC X VALUE %13.
in Proc Div add...
        MOVE "LISTEQ > MPEMSGS" TO MPE-COMMAND-TEXT
                 CALL INTRINSIC "HPCICOMMAND" USING MPE-COMMAND-STRING,
ERRR, PARM, LVL
        OPEN INPUT MPEMSGS-FILE
        READ MPEMSGS-FILE
                     AT END
                         MOVE HIGH-VALUES TO MPEMSGS-RECORD
                         DISPLAY "SHUCKS; CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT EQUATION!"
                         CALL INTRINSIC 'QUIT' USING 666
         END-READ
         PERFORM UNTIL  MPEMSGS-RECORD = HIGH-VALUES
                                              OR MYDEV-FOUND
                ... WRITE A BUNCH OF CODE TO TAKE IT APART, LOOK FOR
                     APPROPRIATE FORMAL FILENAME, PARSE ACTUAL
DESIGNATOR,
         END-PERFORM
         CLOSE MPEMSGS-FILE
        ...NOW you get to decide whether to use 8lpi.

The MUCHO better 2-program fix:
1)In your PRSET subprogram which issues the equation in the firstplace,
add
        (similar working storage stuff to handle OS interface), and
        MOVE "SETVAR MYLDEV LP1" TO MPE-COMMAND-TEXT
        CALL INTRINSIC "HPCICOMMAND" USING MPECOMMAND-STRING,ERRR,PARM,LVL
2)in your PRINT program add
         WS: 01  varname pic x(8).
             01  getvarstatus pic s9(4) comp.
             01  getvaritemnum pic s9(4) comp.
                       01  getvaritemvalue (pic varies depending on value
of getvaritemnum).
             see p 4-286 of intrinsics manual for details, or
                       since we're using "LP1" we want alpha, so just
        PD: MOVE 2 TO GETVARITEMNUM
               MOVE "MYLDEV" TO VARNAME
                         CALL INTRINSIC 'HPCIGETVAR' USING VARNAME
GETVARSTATUS                                      GETVARITEMNUM
GETVARITEMVALUE
                IF GETVARITEMVALUE = whatever you want for 8-lpi decision,
                MOVE 84 TO LINES-ON-PAGE
                ELSE
                                   MOVE 60 TO LINES-ON-PAGE

See, you DO wanna fix em both, it's much cleaner.



K Tracy Pierce
Systems Programmer
Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District
San Francisco, CA  94129-0601