OS2 World Community Forum

OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical => Programming => Topic started by: RTAN on March 25, 2024, 07:48:48 pm

Title: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: RTAN on March 25, 2024, 07:48:48 pm
Does anyone have a recommendation for a REXX IDE, and preferably one that runs on traditional OS/2 (i.e as opposed to one that needs the libraries included with ArcaOS)?

IDE is perhaps the wrong word, I really just mean something that has good syntax highlighting or can even highlight errors.

For syntax highlighting: similar to how Notepad++ can do this on Windows

For highlighting errors: similar to what Microsoft Visual Studio does in Windows

Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome, free or paid!

Thanks,
Richard.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Dave Yeo on March 25, 2024, 11:35:18 pm
There's eFTE2, both PM and cmd line versions. Folding editor, does Rexx syntax highlighting, has menu for adding various Rexx commands, only when a Rexx file is loaded. No error highlighting while editing.
https://trac.netlabs.org/efte (https://trac.netlabs.org/efte)
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Neil Waldhauer on March 26, 2024, 02:55:25 am
The newest REXX IDE is 30 years old.

VX-Rexx, VisProRexx

I don't know how to get VX-REXX.

http://hobbesarchive.com/?detail=/pub/os2/dev/proglang/rexx/VisProREXX_3-1-1.wpi
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Mentore on March 26, 2024, 08:19:44 am
The newest REXX IDE is 30 years old.

VX-Rexx, VisProRexx

I don't know how to get VX-REXX.

http://hobbesarchive.com/?detail=/pub/os2/dev/proglang/rexx/VisProREXX_3-1-1.wpi

A complete REXX GUI environment is (was?) GPF Rexx. I bought it years ago and found it just a little difficult to learn, but once got the grip it was fairly powerful.
Also, DrDialog is a GUI REXX IDE pretty useful and easy to use.

FWR VX-REXX you may find useful options here:
https://ecsoft2.org/watcom-vx-rexx (https://ecsoft2.org/watcom-vx-rexx)

Please consider browsing hobbesarchive instead of hobbes, since the latter is about to be discontinued.

Mentore
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Tiny Frogware on March 26, 2024, 03:09:50 pm
Hello,

  I used VisProRexx under Warp 3 and still use it under ArcaOS. While it's a visual design tool reminiscent of VB for windows, I've always found it to be a great addition to my toolbox of programming tools.

Best wishes,

  Tony.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: RTAN on March 26, 2024, 08:28:06 pm
Thanks very much for everyone's replies. I've been experimenting with VisPro REXX but didn't realise it actually did syntax highlighting so I'll take another look at that.

I've wanted to get my hands on VX-REXX for a long time but it hasn't come up on eBay for as long as I've been looking, and I can't find anyone else wanting to sell a copy :-(

I'll take a look at all the other suggestions here and I really appreciate people taking the time to give some feedback and input - thank you!

Richard.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Dariusz Piatkowski on March 27, 2024, 01:23:38 am
Does anyone have a recommendation for a REXX IDE, and preferably one that runs on traditional OS/2 (i.e as opposed to one that needs the libraries included with ArcaOS)?

IDE is perhaps the wrong word, I really just mean something that has good syntax highlighting or can even highlight errors...

My personal favourite is VSE (Visual SlickEdit). The only problem being: commercial software that was never released to the public domain after the OS/2 version releases were stopped.

Having said that, look around and you'll find it. The benefit, serious amount of not just syntax highlighting, but the abilityt organize things into Projects, etc, etc.

Truly a programmer's editor!
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: RTAN on March 27, 2024, 09:54:39 am
Thanks Dariusz, I'll add that one to my "look at" list as well!
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Tiny Frogware on March 27, 2024, 04:28:02 pm
Just remembered another favorite editor, MED, Programmer's Text Editor with syntax highlighting for various languages, including Rexx and compiler output window with error message highlighting. You can find it here: https://ecsoft2.org/med-programmers-text-editor

Hope this helps.

Tony.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: RTAN on March 27, 2024, 10:10:26 pm
Thanks Tony!
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Tiny Frogware on March 28, 2024, 03:51:37 pm
Just noticed that the link to download MED on the ecSoft/2 site is dead but I did find a valid, working link at:

http://med-editor.com/index.php?lang=de

Tony.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Martin Iturbide on March 28, 2024, 05:15:20 pm
Just noticed that the link to download MED on the ecSoft/2 site is dead but I did find a valid, working link at:

http://med-editor.com/index.php?lang=de

Tony.

FYI; It is also on Hobbes Archive: http://hobbesarchive.com/?detail=/pub/os2/apps/editors/MED_1-26.zip
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Doug Clark on March 28, 2024, 06:20:14 pm
I know that both NEPM and LxPM do syntax highighting.  Standard EPM may also.  NEPMD will also do syntax completion for multiple languages, including Rexx

LxPM will highlight certain syntax errors as well - including with Rexx.

I believe both allow you to modify the syntax file/language file where you define what elements there are in the language.

LxPM comes in VisualAge C++ version 4.   There is an LxPM in VisualAge C++ v 3 but I don't believe it works on later versions of OS/2.

NEPMD is available from NetLabs
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: CalYY on April 02, 2024, 03:53:57 pm
Kon (gui)
Fed (text mode)
Greed
Red_b1.zip
RexxIt11.zip

editors
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Dan Eicher on August 08, 2025, 04:58:10 pm
Helpful Thread, I was going to ask the same, but everything was covered here.

I'm working with "Teach Yourself REXX in 21 Days" and I downloaded MED CX and it's doing everything I need.

Much improved over using e.

Is there a pdf for Teach Yourself REXX in 21 Days?
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Jan-Erik Lärka on August 09, 2025, 11:08:18 am
Hello Dan,

I like the newer eFTE v1.1 and MED.

REXX Tips & Tricks v3.60 contain a lot of useful info.

You may want to look at this post: Topic: REXX tutorials -- start developing applets under ArcaOS out-of-the-box (http://"https://www.os2world.com/forum/index.php/topic,3846.15.html")
that contain a script that download and create program objects for rexx.

 1. REXX for the absolute beginner
 2. Rexx Reference Summary Handbook
 3. REXX Tips & Tricks v3.60
 4. Learning REXX Programming in 56,479 Steps
 5. OS/2 REXX. From Bark to Byte
 6. REXX Programmers Reference 2nd Edition
 7. REXX Tutorial
 8. A Practical Approach to Programming
 9. OS/2 2.1 Rexx Handbook (Warning! 321MB)
10. Extending the Workplace Shell with Object Rexx
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Eugene Gorbunoff on August 09, 2025, 11:33:30 am
MED for OS/2 is shareware. how to register it?
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Dan Eicher on August 09, 2025, 12:15:59 pm
I was wondering the same thing, as the registration is only $25.

So I wrote the email address in the docs.

I will reply back here, if I get an answer.

Paypal, now being the easiest option.
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Anton Monroe on August 09, 2025, 02:52:46 pm
Not IDEs, but a couple of things I like are

1) rxshell.cmd is an interactive shell where you can type Rexx commands and execute them mmediately. Similar to the RexxTry.cmd that comes with OS/2, but better.  Archive name is rxshell.zip.  OS2site.com has it and I have just uploaded it to the HobbesArchive.com incoming directory.

2) RexxTool.cmd is a Rexx analyzer/error checker/formatter that I call periodically from my text editor. It indents and formats the code neatly and catches some common typing mistakes. Like "unbalanced parentheses at line N" or "missing END somewhere after line N". Also some suggestions about what I consider good programming practices. I like it, but that's because I wrote it. I'd be interested to know if other people find it useful.  You can find the current version at
http://hobbesarchive.com/?dir=%2F&stype=all&sort=type_name&search=RexxTool.cmd&submit=Search (http://hobbesarchive.com/?dir=%2F&stype=all&sort=type_name&search=RexxTool.cmd&submit=Search)
Title: Re: REXX IDE recommendations?
Post by: Robert Roland on August 10, 2025, 07:50:56 am
When I'm trying to do any REXX stuff, I use either MED or NEPMD.