Repeating command using & (ampersand)

Repeating Command:

Normally when we issue a command on the command line, the text on command line disappears after we press enter. To reexecute the same command we have to type the text again.

However many times we need to execute the same command again and again without having to type over the command again and again.

To do this we precede the command with an &

With this the text on the command line does not disappear and we can keep on hitting enter to execute the same command again and again.

XX00       M0001.D00.TEST.JCL(TESTJCL1) - 03.09               CHARS 'A' found Command ===> &FIND A                                          Scroll ===> CSR  ****** ***************************** Top of Data ****************************** 000001 //TESTJCL1 JOB (EWDS),'TEST JCL',NOTIFY=&SYSUID                         000002 //DWJ030C0 EXEC PGM=TESTPGM1

In the above example we execute FIND command to find alphabet A. Preceding with the & causes the text to remain on the command line and we can repeat it by just hitting enter.