Tech Ideas – an Initiative from Gifts2DOOR.com

ISPF

ISPFTIP # 001ISPFLets start with a generic and simpler one.Consider that you are editing a file/program and you want to know the changes you have donesince the last SAVE command.How to find that?Answer:Give COMPARE SESSION on the command lineFurther use of COMPARE commands…- Can be used like 3.13 optionTIP # 002ISPFUsually the PDS or PS bears the ID of the creator or the ID of the person who modified itrecently.But is it possible to change these ID values without leaving trace of one’s own ID?Answer:Yes its possible! In the command area against the member name or PS name, by giving ‘G’.Dialog box will pop up allowing you to change the ID values.TIP # 003ISPFSuppose you are in a ISPF Screen and want to know in which TSO Region ( Development,Production, or other TSO regions) you are now .Answer:Issue on the command line : SAREAISPF STATISTICS Pop-up window will show you the region( and other info too)

TIP # 004

ISPF

Any command entered in the COMMAND LINE disappears after the successful execution of its

intended function.

If you want to repeat the same command , you got to re-type it or use some PF key to retrieve the

last command entered.

But here is a cool method the make the command entered not to disappear and stay on the screen.

Precede commands with ‘& ‘

For Example:

COMMAND ===> &C ‘110-PARA’ ‘220-PARA’ SCROLL ===> CSR

****** ************************ TOP OF DATA **************

000001 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

000002 PROGRAM-ID. COBOLSAMY.

000003 DATE-WRITTEN. APRIL 2004.

After the execution of the command, the below command stays on the screen.

This way you can entering the same command or modifying the command a little and using it

multiple times.

TIP # 005

ISPF

While trying to open any member in a PDS, we sometimes come across

“member in use” message. In that situation, if you want to know who is using the member

currently, press F1 twice.

TIP # 006

ISPF

We usual search for members in a PDS by the first string of the members.

Consider this situation .

I have a PDS and I want to search it for member only by middle string of the members.

e.g. there are some members like BESTJCL1,RESTJCL2,PESTCBL1, BESTCBL2,

WESTCBL3,TESTASM1,BESTASM2…etc

I want to find members which have CBL in them.

How can I search and find these members?

Answer:

Use ISPF 4.12 option.

Specify the dataset to be searched and the pattern of the string.

Specify the LANG type as COB

And select the browse option.

TIP # 007

ISPF

How can I find the last 10 datasets that I have accessed ?

Answer:

1.GO TO ISPF 3.4 option.

2. On the top, there is a MENUBAR. Select REFLIST

3. Select Option 1 in it.

Using this option you can find out the last 30 datasets that you have accessed….

TIP # 008

ISPF

Alternate to SuperCE Option(3.13) is to use the macro COMPARE .

Use this when you there is less difference between the two files.

1.Open a DSN in EDIT or VIEW Mode

2. On the Command line , issue COMP ‘YOUR.SECOND.COMPARISON.DSN’

3. If you want only the changes to be listed, issue COMP

‘YOUR.SECOND.COMPARISON.DSN’ EXC

TIP # 009

ISPF

While Browsing Internet, we have some cool option called address autocomplete…we enter

some letters in the address bar and the browser auto completes it with the closest guess.

Does MAINFRAME has the same feature??

Answer:

Yes! It has “Autocomplete” feature!!!

How to use it?

1.go to ISPF 3.4 ,

2. enter KEYS in the command line,KEYS window will popup

3. set any key to AUTOTYPE, save and exit

2. now type any Dataset partially and press the assigned PFkey!!

Note: It will not retrieve GDGs and VSAM files.

TIP # 010

ISPF

I want to find a member but I don’t know the PDS to which it belongs. I only know the high

level qualifier of the PDS.

Answer:

For example, lets consider high level Qualifier as MYID.MYAPPLN.* and member as MYMEM

1. Go to 3.4 and list all PDS with MYID.MYAPPLN.*

2. Now issue, MEMBER MYMEM on the command line

TIP # 011

ISPF

I want to know what are the last 25 COMMAND LINE commands that I have issued from ISPF

panel.

Answer:

To get that, I have to issue, RETP on the Command line.

TIP # 012

ISPF

I want to edit a member, which has CBL as middle string in the PDS MY.PDS.MEMBERS.

One shortcut way is to in the ISPF 3.4 listing of the PDS,

issue S *CBL* E in the command line. If we don’t use E at the end, it will open in browse mode.

TIP # 013

ISPF

Here is another tip on ISPF 3.4 Option

Usually to find the last edited member, we issue SORT CHA or SORT CHANGED on

the command line.

One can save few keystrokes by placing the cursor on any of the column

header in the ISPF 3.4, and press ENTER.

In our case, if we place the cursor on the CHANGED header, we will get the

members sorted on that column.

TIP # 014

ISPF

Here is a tip by which you can avoid ISPF 3.4 Option!!!

To Open a PS or PDS member, we usually use ISPF 3.4 to open in EDIT or BROWSE

MODE.

Here is one way where one can open PS or PDS member in EDIT/VIEW/BROWSE

mode from any command line.

Thus, we can avoid using 3.4 option.

Issue : EPDF ‘MYID.MYPS’ . The Dataset will be opened in EDIT MODE

If you want to open in VIEW mode:

Issue : EPDF ‘MYID.MYPS’ VIEW

Similarly, for opening in BROWSE mode, type BROWSE at the end.

TIP # 015

ISPF

Here is a situation. I have received a maintenance change

request on one of the program.

While I am making changes to the program, one of my friend pops

in and I leave with him for a cup of coffee without SAVING the

changes I made.

After few minutes , when I am back, I am not sure what changes I

made previously on the program?

How can I find the changes I have made (without getting out of

this screen)?

Well, here is one simple command line command to achieve this…

Issue : COMP * X

TIP # 016

ISPF

When I issue CUT , I know that the CUT content are placed in a

clipboard. And when I issue PASTE, the clipboard content are

pasted.

But is it possible for me to view/edit the clipboard ?

One can view the clipboard after any valid CUT command was issued.

To view the clipboard, issue : CUT DISPLAY.

Clipboard manager will pop up and gives us options to edit or browse the

content.

TIP # 017

ISPF

Here is another tip on ISPF CUT. I have a dataset with 10,000

lines.I want to cut the first 10 lines and last 10 lines and

paste into another dataset.When I cut the first 10 lines and

then again the last 10 lines ,only the last 10 lines are pasted

into the new dataset.

Is there anyway out (other than doing a 2 cut & paste)?

The answer for the above question is to:

1.first cut 10 lines, then issue CUT APPEND

2.then cut last 10 lines, then issue CUT APPEND

3.When you PASTE it, you got both.