> -----Original Message-----
> From: Schlosser, Robert J [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> 
> I have a need to scan several lines of JCL some of which may 
> include either single or double quotes, [...]
> The problem is that any of the standard ways of cleaning up a 
> line before processing it don't work! Things I've tried include:
> 
> setvar s "Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   "
> echo !s
> setvar s3 repl(!s,"'"," ") These work fine for a string with 
> ONLY a single instance of a single quote - we can use the 
> double quotes to surround it. 

"echo" is a red-herring here: it forces you to "believe" that "!" characters are needed everywhere, and they AREN'T! [well, except here ;)]

"in the context of an expression", variables are variables, so you DON'T need to use the "!" to expand a variable to it's value BEFORE processing it.  "echo" is weird in that it echos a literal string, not an expression, so you DO need it for ECHO.

For instance, after setting the variable "S" above, note the difference in these two commands:

:setvar s "Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   "
:echo !s
Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   
:calc s
Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   
:calc !s
calc Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   
     ^
Variable name encountered, but variable is not defined. (CIERR 9805)

SETVAR is an "expression context", so you don't need the "!":

:setvar s3 repl(s,"'"," ")
:calc s3
Here s an example of a string with a single quote in it!   
:setvar s3 '"'+!s+'"'
setvar s3 '"'+Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   +'"'
              ^
Variable name encountered, but variable is not defined. (CIERR 9805)

(whups, I didn't see the EXTRA set of double quotes you added)

:setvar s3 '"'+"!s"+'"'
:calc s3
"Here's an example of a string with a single quote in it!   "

> However, put it in a pair of double quotes, and it doesn't 
> work!  (Similarly for any line with both types of quotes!)
> 
> setvar s3 '"'+"!s"+'"'
> calc pos(!s3,"'") returns 0, rather than 6!

You're right:
:calc pos(!s3,"'")
0, $0, %0
:calc pos(s3,"'")
0, $0, %0

however you have the POS parameters BACKWARDS:

:calc pos("'",s3)
6, $6, %6

[and note: no !]

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