Forget swapping 2 sessions with PF2 and PF9. How about having 8 Sessions to swap with?
Note: I've been retired a number of years now and no current access to a mainframe. Also I'm drawing this mostly from memory so let me know if I've screwed something up, but I ran with 8 ISPF sub-sessions from 1994-2017. Lastly, if this is all really common knowledge now and not really relevant, I apologize.
My PF12 was defined to "RETRIEVE" to retrieve the last command issued. This is a really useful change even if not setting up for multiple sessions.
I ran with 8 sub-sessions under my logon every time I logged in by issuing a ‘START’ command and then PF 12 to ‘retrieve’ the ‘START’ command 7 more times. Takes just seconds. Once completed, I could bounce around between the 8 sub-sessions using PF Keys 13 to 20, defined with ‘SWAP ?’ commands. Obviously this required changes to the SHIFT PF Keys. Example: PF13-PF16 was SWAP 5, SWAP 6, SWAP 7, SWAP 8 and PF17-PF20 was SWAP 1, SWAP 2, SWAP 3 SWAP 4.
Use of the 8 sub-sessions begins to become routine when set up with a plan. When I had all 8 Sessions available, Swap Sessions 1, 2, 3 were used for general file access (Views, Edits, etc.). Swap Session 4 was used for my own personal Libraries to Edit ‘my’ JCL and submit ‘my’ jobs, etc. Swap Sessions 5 and 6 was usually for different Site libraries (View or Edit library files for a specific Company Site as we had several). Swap Session 7 was most often used for 3.X IBM Utilities (3.2, 3.4, or 3.14). Swap Session 8 was most used for IOF functions. None of this is rigid, it was just my standard definitions and used to manage and navigate around across my multiple-sessions.
There is a little pre-planning work needed when setting up as EVERY ISPF profile MUST have the same PF Keys assigned or you will have some interesting and aggravating navigation occur when you least expect it. Identifying and changing the ISPF Profiles is only needed one time to get it all started and you can use a lot of copy/paste.
P.S. Over the years I tried to share this stuff with a lot of co-workers who just had no interest. Hopefully some here might find some benefits from my past experiences.
Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 2609 Location: Silicon Valley
Like you, I have been retired for several years and going by memory.
I used more of an ad hoc approach... When I needed a new window, I typed the word NEW and then pressed PF2 (SPLIT).
I set PF9 to be SWAP NEXT. I was lucky enough to have good response time, so I just repeatedly pressed PF9 to cycle through the screens.
fyi: when I was at IBM, in mid 1980's, I saw a demo of a RING capability in VM/CMS that allowed them cycle through various apps. Then a few years later when I participated in beta program for ISPF V4, I suggested that they do something similar, and voila - they implemented the 32 split screen capability.
I get it, but sounds like you had to cycle through the sessions till you found the one you were looking for. My approach was to have the sessions pre-defined (at least in my head) and always jump right into the session I wanted next. This stuff was fun and I could never get my co-workers interested in being more productive or efficient. ¯\_(",)_/¯
I have my pf21 set to SWAP LIST. Hit that and select the screen I want. I start up with 4 screens by default using the ZSTART variable, after that I start screens as needed.
Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1318 Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Put the SWAPBAR at the bottom of the screen, I use a 62x162 screen, so plenty of space left, and use the mouse in Vista TN3270 to swap screens, or a macro:
Code:
* Macro to switch screens using Ctrl + Tab Keys
************************************************************************************************
* SWAPBAR should have been active already in the TSO session of the user. If not active
* issue command 'SWAPBAR' in the Command line
*
* Author - Satheesh Kamal S
*
* All rights are not reserved. :-) You are free to change as you wish
************************************************************************************************
if t1 = "*"
if t2 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,13)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t2 = "*"
if t3 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,22)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t3 = "*"
if t4 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,31)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t4 = "*"
if t5 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,40)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t5 = "*"
if t6 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,49)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t6 = "*"
if t7 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,58)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t7 = "*"
if t8 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,67)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t8 = "*"
if t9 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,76)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t9 = "*"
if t10 != " "
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,85)
Key("Enter")
exit
else
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
exit
endif
endif
if t10 = "*"
Key("MoveCursor",ScreenHeight,4)
Key("Enter")
endif
You can probably create something less in-line that queries the screen format.
FWIW, why don't you get one of the many instances of IBM's z/OS ADCD distributions that can be found in the net to set up your own z/OS system under Hercules, I've been using 1.10 since 2009, and even 3.1 is around...
Lacking any access to a mainframe, I'd have to look into that, but it still didn't seem to quickly arrive at the panel I would want to open with just one click. No scrolling, etc. Perhaps because I (mentally) knew exactly what session would pop based on which of the 8 PF Keys was selected. Whatever works. ¯\_(",)_/¯
Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 2609 Location: Silicon Valley
re: it still didn't seem to quickly arrive at the panel
The swapbar is analogous to the launchpad area of Windows - always there and you can select the app you want. All of the ISPF split screens are shown at the bottom of the screen. So, yes, you can quickly arrive at the panel you want. Though, I think it takes a double-click, rather than just a single click.
