# Obfuscated Natural ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum\ **Tags:** Adabas-Natural, Natural, Natural-on-Linux\ **Created:** [September 19, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644 "2013-09-19T16:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/1 "2013-09-19T16:24:24Z")
Hello all, just for fun. Please complete the following Natural code by writing the data definition: ```auto define data local ... end-define for for eq to to step step to write edited (EM=-ZZ9) to step end-for end ``` The Output of the program is: ```auto Page 1 13-09-19 16:22:26 1 1 2 2 1 2 More ``` šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Johnson1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/brian_johnson1/32/163_2.png) [@Brian\_Johnson1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Brian_Johnson1)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/2 "2013-09-19T18:09:00Z")
```auto DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 FOR (N3) 1 REDEFINE FOR 2 EDITED (N3) 1 TO (N3) CONST<1> 1 STEP (N3) CONST<2> END-DEFINE ``` ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Johnson1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/brian_johnson1/32/163_2.png) [@Brian\_Johnson1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Brian_Johnson1)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/3 "2013-09-19T18:11:21Z")
Funny when you STRUCT itā€¦ ```auto 0010 DEFINE DATA LOCAL 0020 1 FOR (N3) 0030 1 REDEFINE FOR 0040 2 EDITED (N3) 0050 1 TO (N3) CONST<1> 0060 1 STEP (N3) CONST<2> 0070 END-DEFINE 0080 * 0090 FOR FOR EQ TO TO STEP STEP TO 0100 WRITE EDITED (EM=-ZZ9) TO STEP 0110 END-FOR 0120 END ``` Runtime: ```auto MORE Page 1 13-09-19 12:11:52 1 1 2 2 1 2 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Beckwith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/todd_beckwith/32/388_2.png) [@Todd\_Beckwith](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Todd_Beckwith)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/4 "2013-09-19T18:22:55Z")
That was strangely fun. Glad I didnā€™t notice Brian beat me to the answer else I probably wouldnā€™t have worked at figuring it out. I failed to look at the spaces between columns. I think Brianā€™s N3s are more accurate than my I4s would have been, though Brianā€™s output seems to suggest his runtime results were not using the N3. I found the same struct problem on v6.3.12 on HP UX . ```auto DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 TO (I4) INIT <1> 1 STEP (I4) INIT <2> 1 FOR (I4) 1 REDEFINE FOR 2 EDITED (I4) END-DEFINE ``` ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 9:41am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/5 "2013-09-20T09:41:55Z")
Obviously you can gain even more obfuscation using struct šŸ˜‰ How about this one: ```auto define data local 01 for (I1) 01 redefine for 02 edited(I1) 01 to (I1) init <1> 01 step(I1) init <2> end-define for for eq to to step step to write edited (EM=-ZZ9) to step end-for end ``` ---
**Author:** ![Ralph\_Zbrog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/ralph_zbrog/32/78_2.png) [@Ralph\_Zbrog](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Ralph_Zbrog)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/6 "2013-09-20T21:40:59Z")
This is why KCHECK=ON should be the default setting in NatParms. Of course you still would have to look for overrides (during code walkthroughs) to stop programmers from cheating. ```auto OPTIONS KCHECK=OFF DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 FOR (I1) 1 REDEFINE FOR 2 EDITED (I1) 1 TO (I1) INIT <1> 1 STEP (I1) INIT <2> END-DEFINE FOR FOR EQ TO TO STEP STEP TO WRITE EDITED (EM=-ZZ9) TO STEP END-FOR END ``` ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/7 "2013-09-25T11:48:42Z")
> [@Ralph Zbrog](#): > > This is why KCHECK=ON should be the default setting in NatParms. PCHECK is another interesting parameter. But we got some trouble with catall with this both parameters set to ON. Natural crashes with coredump. It is planned to upgarde to the latest natural version the next few months. Letā€™s seeā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/35a633/32.png) [@Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Nikolay_Kuhta)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/8 "2013-09-25T16:34:58Z")
Hi Matthias, I suspect that after your post (and upgrading to the latest Natural release šŸ™‚ you will read something like this from the Natural documentation: ā€œHere is a list of keywords in the Natural programming language. You cannot use any of the following as identifiers in your programs: ā€¦ā€ šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Mick_Fitzpatrick)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/9 "2013-09-25T17:49:24Z")
The weird thing is that the compiler Nat 4.2.6 on zOS at least will catch some things but not others. Your example stowed fine for me - I even called the program PROGRAM - and this example also works ```auto DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 EQ (A2) 1 THEN (A2) INIT <'IF'> END-DEFINE INPUT EQ IF THEN EQ EQ WRITE '=' END-IF END ``` but each part of this one fails - as you cannot INPUT INPUT or WRITE WRITE let alone IF IF ```auto INPUT INPUT IF IF EQ EQ WRITE WRITE ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Mick_Fitzpatrick)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/10 "2013-09-25T20:07:03Z")
Or how about these few statements which will also compile and execute provided you have the data areas to match ```auto MOVE MOVE TO TO EXAMINE EXAMINE FOR GIVING GIVING POSITION POSITION DIVIDE SUBTRACT INTO ADD REMAINDER MULTIPLY ``` Maybe SAG should start a competion to see who can code the weirdest application of unintelligible code that actually runs ---
**Author:** ![Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/35a633/32.png) [@Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Nikolay_Kuhta)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/11 "2013-09-25T22:36:28Z")
Sorry, this is ā€œthe serious partā€ which Iā€™ve missed in my previous message. Well, it is still optional ((KCHECK) Keyword checking ā€¦ OFF) ā€œfeatureā€ of our Natural 8.2.2.3. If it were within my power, I think Iā€™d rather removed this altogether - what`s the reason to keep it ā€œoptionalā€? The good program should be simple and clear ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Johnson1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/brian_johnson1/32/163_2.png) [@Brian\_Johnson1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Brian_Johnson1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/12 "2013-09-25T23:04:22Z")
I understand the need for having options because there could be issues if existing code breaks. I would tighten enforcement up in development but leave it open in production until I was sure the bad code was fixed. Weā€™re on Natural 4.2.7 so this is something I will need to handle the next upgrade. In the meantime, this challenge was fun! ---
**Author:** ![Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/35a633/32.png) [@Nikolay\_Kuhta](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Nikolay_Kuhta)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/13 "2013-09-26T18:05:40Z")
Canā€™t disagree less with Brian: the challenge was VERY fun! šŸ™‚ Many thanks to Matthias indeed ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Robinson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/steve_robinson/32/107_2.png) [@Steve\_Robinson](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Steve_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/14 "2013-09-27T15:33:40Z")
Every programming language has strange syntax and naming conventions. Personally, I think reserved words should never be permitted as variable names. However, as Brian noted, this could cause problems when new reserved words might be added to the language and existing programs suddenly fail. Here is one of my favorite Natural Syntax anomalies: (use SAGā€™s employees demo file) DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 MYVIEW VIEW OF EMPLOYEES 2 NAME 2 FIRST-NAME 2 CITY 2 COUNTRY END-DEFINE \* READ MYVIEW BY NAME FIRST-NAME CITY DISPLAY _COUNTER NAME FIRST-NAME CITY END-READ \* \*\* WRITE T_NAME NAME FIRST-NAME CITY / T\*CITY ā€˜LOOK AT THE VALUE OF CITYā€™ \* END Questions: 1. Will this program Check? 2. Will it Run? 3. If it runs, what will it be doing? 4. If it runs, explain the output. 5. If it runs, why does the output end where it does? 6. If stuck on last question, uncomment the WRITE statement and re-run. enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 10:36am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/15 "2013-10-01T10:36:27Z")
1. Yes, it checks. 2. Yes, it runs. 3. I would expect the following: Display all Employees with empty NAME since the fields in the from-to-clause (i.e. first-name and city) are empty at the beginning. 4. We got no employees file at our test systemā€¦ ā˜¹ Let me see what I can do. ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 10:41am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/16 "2013-10-01T10:41:46Z")
We only got the SAGTOURS-File on our test Databaseā€¦ BTW: NAME is a reserved keyword. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Robinson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/steve_robinson/32/107_2.png) [@Steve\_Robinson](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Steve_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/17 "2013-10-01T11:53:21Z")
Hi Matthias; Answers 1) and 2) are, of course correct. That was the real objective of the example, to point out that the words ā€œstarting fromā€ and ā€œtoā€ are unnecessary. This can be very confusing. Some people look at the statement and think that they can read logical by three fields. However, you really need a file to properly answer the rest of the questions. There are no records with blank names; but, there is quite a bit of output. Do you have an old Personnel file around? Or do you have Natural on the PC, which has the same employees file? steve ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/18 "2013-10-01T16:23:15Z")
I got Natural+Adabas@Solaris with SAG-TOURS-File. I also got Natural@Win. Thereā€™s the employee DDM but no ADABAS. How about posting the output here? ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/19 "2013-10-01T16:32:48Z")
> [@Nikolay Kuhta](#): > > ā€œHere is a list of keywords in the Natural programming language. You cannot use any of the following as identifiers in your programs: ā€¦ā€ šŸ™‚ [http://techcommunity.softwareag.com/ecosystem/documentation/natural/nat6314win/pg/pg\_keyw.htm#pg\_keyw](http://techcommunity.softwareag.com/ecosystem/documentation/natural/nat6314win/pg/pg_keyw.htm#pg_keyw) ---
**Author:** ![Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@Mick\_Fitzpatrick](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Mick_Fitzpatrick)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644/20 "2013-10-01T17:08:24Z")
Does anyone know of a link to a list of currently and actually reserved keywords. [Next page](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/obfuscated-natural/172644.md?page=2)