Can we store pictures in Mainframe?

sundarkudos · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 39 Location: Chennai

Is there any possiblity to have Images/Pictures instead of those userid details in ISPF primary menu?

or

Atleast, can we have images in Pds?

Thanks in Advance,
Sundar.

Pedro · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:03 am

I am doubtful that you can store normal pictures in a PDS.

But I am pretty sure you can store them in the unix file system under z/OS.

If you are using the Windows agent, the ISPF panels can display GIF files but when I tried, I could not figure out how to store my own GIF files in a PDS. I think ISPF uses ISPILIB DD (or something like that).

Emulator display of ISPF displays graphics created by GDDM. I do not know of any converter from modern image files to GDDM format.

sundarkudos · New User Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 39 Location: Chennai

Is there any misc options to make my ISPF colourful??If so,Pleaseshare with me.

Thanks in Advance,
SUndar.

Pedro · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:39 am

ISPF option 0, and then Colors in the action bar.

Also, you emulator usually allows color customization.

MBabu · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:19 am

You can store a picture in a PDS just like any other binary file. You can't easily display it on a 3270 terminal though. There may be software that can do this (through something called GDDM) but if so, it is unusual and would probably be considered a poor use of mainframe resources in most situations just because the mainframe CPU cycles are usually dedicated to transaction processing and application development rather than CPU intensive operations like image processing. There are exceptions to every rule though.

ISPF screens and colors can be customized to a small extent (try the CUAATTR an COLOR commands) and can even show GDDM graphics but if you want to do things like change the background colors, use your emulator, not ISPF.

prino · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:24 pm

Robert Sample · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:34 pm

MBabu · Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:22 am

In defense of sundarkudos's question about adding color. Many people use the emulator to change background colors and the like so that they can have a white background that they are used to on other systems (I on the other hand customize Windows editors to look like ISPF). It is not only what you are used to, which is a lame excuse for doing these changes, but also how your perceptions work. Mine work best if certain types of information are highlighted. I like the way that ISPF shows string in white, keywords in red and operators in yellow. When I work with someone who has HILITE OFF, my whole method of getting info breaks down and things take me about 5 times as long to accomplish. My reasons are due to perception problems I've had since childhood. Other people have similar issues so don't dismiss the need for customization and even garish color schemes as just wasting time or trying to be different. There are some real reasons to do this unrelated to aesthetics.