Command to open a dataset

himanshu_varma · New User Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 4 Location: chennai

Hi all,

I am pretty new to REXX and have been trying to come up with a simple REXX program to open a specific dataset each time i run the tool.

Part of the code is as below:

Code:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/*REXX*/
.
.
.
.

TRACE "O"
ADDRESS "ISPEXEC"
"SELECT PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(3.4) SCRNAME(open)"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The code works perfectly upto this point. Next what i wish to do is insert some text in the position (row/column) - 11/24.

I tried searching for a solution and got the hint that the following code should do it and this is what i came up with -

Code:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDRESS ISREDIT "CURSOR = 11 24"
VAR = PGMNAME
ADDRESS ISREDIT "VAR"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here,
VAR contains the string that i want to place on the screen. But this code doesnt work.

Could someone please have a look and help me out in this.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:31 pm

instead of us looking, it would be better for You to look at the manual

You are mixing up things !

ISPEXEC addresses the generic ISPF commands

ISREDIT addresses the EDIT/VIEW environment ( EDIT/VIEW macros )

describe better Your requirement/objectives,
You will stand more chances of getting help

do not mix up code without understanding it, most of the time it will not work!

Douglas Wilder · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:21 pm

In this limited case I disagree with enrico.

Go ahead and search and put together bits of code to try to do what you need done. You also should use the manual to help you. When/If it does not work post your questions on this forum. You have shown that you have searched and tried, good for you.

But we do need a better description of what you would like to do.

When I need to open a file or PDS member in ISPF edit I use something like the following. Where DSN holds the name of the dataset to edit. Is that what you would like to do?

Pedro · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:20 pm

Rather than displaying the option 3.4 panel, I suggest using the LMDLIST service of ISPF to get the dataset list. And knowing the dataset name, call your program directly from rexx.

himanshu_varma · New User Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 4 Location: chennai

Thanks Enrico, Douglas and Pedro I really appreciate all your inputs.

I fear i was not very clear on my requirements, so let me attempt that again.

Requirement:
In my workplace we use a tool called expeditor, which is used to debug a COBOL program line by line. The inputs to the expeditor screen need to be entered manually and takes up valuable time.

I plan to create a tool which would read the JCL of the program and automatically enter these inputs in the expeditor screen. (I gave the 3.4 problem as an example as i wasn't sure if anyone else uses expeditor.)

So Far...
I have already coded the part where the JCL is being read and the required fields stored in variables. Also i am able to call on the screen through my program upto the point where i need to enter the stored values in the screen.

Now here is where my problem starts. I checked the manual and several sites and couldn't come up with a command that will directly enter the stored values on the screen.

few points to note here...
1. The expeditor screen is within the ispf environment.
2. I invoke the expeditor screen from the command ==> by giving a "start c.xt".

what i would really like to do is to place the text in the variables in specific positions on the screen.

For E.g.

I would like to place the text - 'cec.my.program(pgm1)' at the row:18 col:30 position.

Any help is much appreciated.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:53 pm

are you aware of the COPY command in the xpeditor screen for setting up the jcl? this copies existing jcl into xpeditor. no need to re-invent the wheel.

himanshu_varma · New User Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 4 Location: chennai

Are you referring to the 1.4 option eithin xpediter where we can Edit the Allocation List?

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:53 pm

yes.

If you are a systems programmer, tasked with installing xpeditor,
my comments are/were unnecessary
and I hope you receive the answers necessary to create the interface.

If you are not, try using the COPY option of that screen.

himanshu_varma · New User Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 4 Location: chennai

Brenholtz ,

Thanks for that input, i was not aware of this feature and I referred to
www.geocities.com/*****/XPEDITER.html for more info on it.

But i would still like to pursue this tool as its a good opportunity to learn some new stuff

[/url]

Pedro · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:55 pm

I do not believe there is a TSO or ISPF method to update an ISPF panel by row and column as you suggest.

One thing you can try is to copy the panel in question and see if you can use a customized version of it. Copy the panel to your private ISPPLIB dataset and make sure it is first in concatenation.

1. Edit the panel and see what variable names are used in the fields
2. in the )INIT section, use VGET to get your values and assign them to the panel variables.