Tips for a Few ISPF Comands

rdr · New User Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 35 Location: india

Hi All!

Here are few ISPF tips.

TIP # 001
Lets start with a generic and simpler one.
Consider that you are editing a file/program and you want to know the changes you have done since the last SAVE command. How to find that?

Answer:

Give COMPARE SESSION on the command line
Further use of COMPARE commands...
- Can be used like 3.13 option

TIP # 002
Usually the PDS or PS bears the ID of the creator or the ID of the person who modified it recently. 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 # 003
Suppose 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 : SAREA

ISPF STATISTICS Pop-up window will show you the region( and other info too)

TIP # 004
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
4. now type any Dataset partially and press the assigned PFkey!!
Note: It will not retrieve GDGs and VSAM files.

TIP # 010
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

Regards,
Rohit.

dick scherrer · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:10 pm

Hello,

Thank you for posting

Aaru · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:16 pm

Yes, few points are missing.

For tip 4 - & followed by the actual comamand will work.

Devzee · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:19 pm

Rohit
I remember there is a PDF somewhere in this forum which has 100 ISPF tips.
Is yours different from that?

hemanth.nandas · Active User Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 120 Location: India

Hi All,

Aaru · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:32 pm

hemanth,

Aaru · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:41 pm

Devzee,

Devzee · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:21 pm

Aaru In some old post there is link to the PDF.

If Moderator can post the PDF, then there is no need for some people to copy few tips and post it as new topic.

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:31 pm

Hello,

If i've found the correct pdf, it is "100 COOL MAINFRAME TIPS" and it covers many topics - ISPF is only part of it.

Where might a pdf that has tips on ispf, jcl, cobol, vsam, fileaid, sort, sdsf, cics, and db2 be best posted as a "Sticky"?

Good news is that it does not appear to be copyright material.

I can "Stick" it in Other Mainframe Topics, but would like to hear from you on where it might be better placed.

Devzee · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:38 am

Here is the discussion on the tips, not sure if the PDF is already in sticky.

ibmmainframes.com/viewtopic.php?t=4883

dick scherrer · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:01 am

Hi Devzee,

Yup, that is the same info i mentioned earlier.

Part of it is ispf, but it also includes the other info.

I'll be happy to make it a Sticky, but am not sure where would be a good place to stick it

. I don't believe we need it in multiple "Sticky"s.

krisprems · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:47 am

Hello
Dick, you can attach it in FAQ and Requests.

Devzee · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:35 am

Dick scherrer,

I just found out that this is topic is already a sticky in ISPF.

Sorry for making a request to stick it again.

dick scherrer · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:03 am

Hi Devzee,

Devzee · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:32 am

Yes I agree with you. Just the PDF should be in Sticky and locked.

krisprems · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:48 am

dick scherrer · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:45 pm

Hello again,

Ok - it'll have a locked sticky. . .

Now, where might be a good place to "stick" it?

expat · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:25 am