Generalized Automation Language
Encyclopedia
Two forms of GAL are available. The first is General Automation Language for device automation and the second is Generalized Automation Language (GAL) which a very high level
programming language
for MVS
based systems such as OS/390
and z/OS
.
General Automation Language
Developed by iLED to provide a common language for standardising automation and control of devices in the residential (Home Automation) and commercial control environments. The language provides a standardised method of communicating to/from controlled/controlling devices. At each device, GAL is converted into the machine specific protocol and medium. An example is the control of a DVD player. The GAL command will be FredsHouse GroundFloor Lounge DVDplayer ON. The GAL device will then convert this to the discrete IR command to switch on the DVD Player.
Ref http://iled.co.za/c161/iControl.aspx
Generalized Automation Language
contains features and constructs that enable the programmer to efficiently intercept systems events and schedule responses. Somewhat akin to BASIC, GAL enables systems programmers and operators to define logic to apply to systems messages as they flow through a multi-system (sysplex) environment. GAL also enables the programmer to define events that have occurred in the past, by intercepting Action Message Retention Facility (AMRF) messages. The language has built-in constructs to obtain the age of a retained message and make decisions about its fate depending on age. GAL can be used to write new systems commands, by intercepting and interpreting anything that is entered into an Operator Console. GAL uses keywords such as names of days of the week, names of month etc. to automatically schedule events in the system. Like REXX
, GAL is both an interpretive language and a compiled language. GAL statements can be entered to the interpreter on the fly, or entire automation scenarios can be predefined, such as the logic to define unattended operations of a system, and can be compiled offline, using the compiler program GALCOMP.
GAL implements comparison by IF statements, setting of variables, by the LET statement and subroutine calls. GAL allows the programmer to break into REXX, and Assembler where it is needed. The very high level nature of GAL is exemplified by the EMAIL statement, which enables the programmer to send an email alert when an event is detected that requires human intervention. Assuming that this message event requires an alert to be sent to a default recipient:
MSG=XID999S
VAR &MSGTXT LEN 100
LET &MSGTXT = $$MSGTXT
EMAIL
SUBJECT '&MSGTXT'
'This is a problem that needs urgent attention'
GAL uses text capture and replacement facilities. In this simple example, the text of the system message is captured into a variable and the text in that variable is then used as the subject of the email. The message in the body of the email is the text in quotes following the subject.
GAL allows for cross systems(IBM XCF
) queries to be issued by simple IF statements, without regard for the underlying internal processes required to perform the cross systems communications. It is simply a matter of identifying one or more systems that are to be tested.
For instance to check if a job is currently running in a partner system:
IF SYS=sysn JOB(jobname) ACTIVE
DO
. . .
END
If this were to be written in a lower level language it would require many thousands of lines of code.
Ref http://exspans.com/gal.htm
High-level programming language
A high-level programming language is a programming language with strong abstraction from the details of the computer. In comparison to low-level programming languages, it may use natural language elements, be easier to use, or be from the specification of the program, making the process of...
programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
for MVS
MVS
Multiple Virtual Storage, more commonly called MVS, was the most commonly used operating system on the System/370 and System/390 IBM mainframe computers...
based systems such as OS/390
OS/390
OS/390 is an IBM operating system for the System/390 IBM mainframe computers.OS/390 was introduced in late 1995 in an effort, led by the late Randy Stelman, to simplify the packaging and ordering for the key, entitled elements needed to complete a fully functional MVS operating system package...
and z/OS
Z/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
.
General Automation Language
Developed by iLED to provide a common language for standardising automation and control of devices in the residential (Home Automation) and commercial control environments. The language provides a standardised method of communicating to/from controlled/controlling devices. At each device, GAL is converted into the machine specific protocol and medium. An example is the control of a DVD player. The GAL command will be
Ref http://iled.co.za/c161/iControl.aspx
Generalized Automation Language
contains features and constructs that enable the programmer to efficiently intercept systems events and schedule responses. Somewhat akin to BASIC, GAL enables systems programmers and operators to define logic to apply to systems messages as they flow through a multi-system (sysplex) environment. GAL also enables the programmer to define events that have occurred in the past, by intercepting Action Message Retention Facility (AMRF) messages. The language has built-in constructs to obtain the age of a retained message and make decisions about its fate depending on age. GAL can be used to write new systems commands, by intercepting and interpreting anything that is entered into an Operator Console. GAL uses keywords such as names of days of the week, names of month etc. to automatically schedule events in the system. Like REXX
REXX
REXX is an interpreted programming language that was developed at IBM. It is a structured high-level programming language that was designed to be both easy to learn and easy to read...
, GAL is both an interpretive language and a compiled language. GAL statements can be entered to the interpreter on the fly, or entire automation scenarios can be predefined, such as the logic to define unattended operations of a system, and can be compiled offline, using the compiler program GALCOMP.
GAL implements comparison by IF statements, setting of variables, by the LET statement and subroutine calls. GAL allows the programmer to break into REXX, and Assembler where it is needed. The very high level nature of GAL is exemplified by the EMAIL statement, which enables the programmer to send an email alert when an event is detected that requires human intervention. Assuming that this message event requires an alert to be sent to a default recipient:
MSG=XID999S
VAR &MSGTXT LEN 100
LET &MSGTXT = $$MSGTXT
SUBJECT '&MSGTXT'
'This is a problem that needs urgent attention'
GAL uses text capture and replacement facilities. In this simple example, the text of the system message is captured into a variable and the text in that variable is then used as the subject of the email. The message in the body of the email is the text in quotes following the subject.
GAL allows for cross systems(IBM XCF
IBM XCF
In IBM mainframes, a Cross-system coupling facility, or XCF, is a component of z/OS that manages communications between applications in a sysplex...
) queries to be issued by simple IF statements, without regard for the underlying internal processes required to perform the cross systems communications. It is simply a matter of identifying one or more systems that are to be tested.
For instance to check if a job is currently running in a partner system:
IF SYS=sysn JOB(jobname) ACTIVE
DO
. . .
END
If this were to be written in a lower level language it would require many thousands of lines of code.
Ref http://exspans.com/gal.htm