SYSD
SYSD is a CICS-based complement to ISPF/PDF and SDSF.
SYSD supplies the most commonly needed functionality of ISPF and SDSF to CICS users, without requiring them to leave the CICS session or have access to TSO and ISPF.
SYSD excels in its support of casual users. Because SYSD is CICS based, it allows casual users to have ISPF- and SDSF-like functionality without needing access to TSO and ISPF. Even having scores of users doing equivalent work in ISPF would not be practical.
The familiar interface of SYSD, which is similar to and simpler to use than the ISPF interface, helps users with repetitive or limited tasks focus on the functions they need.
SYSD reduces support needs by reducing usage questions and requests for TSO. SYSD allows systems programmers and administrators to restrict casual users to just the functions they need. Because users remain in CICS, support personnel have the flexibility to better manage computing cycles. And, SYSD honors current security access restrictions.
CICS and other developers will find that many development projects can be accomplished without ever using TSO and ISPF. Getting into and out of CICS is much faster, and response time is generally better than with TSO.
JES2 spool display, host-directed printing, and print management
The spool display, print, and print management facilities provide a CICS-based alternative to SDSF. SYSD makes it practical to expand distribution of online and printed mainframe data reports to many users in scattered locations. Hundreds of printers are easily supported.
Other utilities and tools
SYSD also provides utilities for creating and maintaining disk data sets and managing DASD data sets. Additionally, SYSD provides a set of facilities for managing CICS and debugging CICS programs.
SYSD editor
The SYSD editor allows you to create, update, browse, submit, and delete PDS members and sequential data sets under CICS. SYSD honors security access restrictions. Features of the SYSD editor include:
- Familiar interactive TSO ISPF- and PDF-like interface
- Full complement of editing commands including primary, scroll, and line commands
- Full use of user-definable PF keys
- Extensive online documentation
- Cut and paste capability
- Unique "exclude" capability
- Autosave facility
- Optional SYSD/JFT (Job and File Tailoring)
- Optional interface to CA-Panvalet integrated into the Edit screens (SYSD/ATP)
CICS management and debugging aids
SYSD provides a set of facilities for managing CICS and debugging CICS programs. Features include:
- Ability to monitor CICS activity
- Ability to display general CICS statistics
- Ability to display and alter memory
- Ability to display and monitor individual CICS resources, such as files, programs, maps, and transactions
DASD and data set management
SYSD provides a full range of functions for creating and maintaining disk data sets. It also simplifies management of DASD data sets and includes most of the IEHLIST and IEHPROGM commands online. You can quickly list VTOCs and PDS directories. You can also locate, scratch, rename, and allocate data sets.
Spool display
SYSD provides facilities to view spooled output directly from the JES2 spool. Spool display features include:
- A unique condition code summary display that provides a condensed view of the condition codes from all the steps in a multistep job
- Search facilities
- Ability to cut and paste print spool files into an edit session
- Ability to route individual print data sets or entire jobs to printers or to delete them
- Ability to display the System Console Log
- Ability to view partially spooled print from running jobs
- Ability to restrict access to spooled data
Job submission and tracking
Jobs may be submitted from the edit and browse functions or the optional SYSD/JFT interface. From SYSD, you can monitor the status and the progression of jobs submitted from any source using the SYSD queue and active job displays. You can monitor statistics for executing jobs and view partially spooled output. You can also view the completed spooled output using the spool display facilities.
Print management
SYSD includes print management capabilities. The print management feature provides the ability to monitor and display the JES2 spool; view job output and reports; track, route, and delete jobs; and automatically or manually print JES2-spooled data sets on CICS printers or system printers.
Print management facilities control both CICS and JES2 printers for host-directed printing. You can manage system, departmental, or convenience printers performing mainframe printing. You can start or stop printers, and set or change print selection using commands or menu selections; knowledge of complex JES2 commands is not required. You can also easily protect printers in security-sensitive areas using the security features. Print management features include:
- Custom separator pages for CICS-defined printers
- Control sequences for laser printers to specify such things as page orientation and font based on defaults or JCL parameters
- Form Control Buffers (FCB) supported for CICS-defined printers similar to JES2-controlled printers
- Forms change processing supported for CICS-defined printers
- JES2-like writer capability
Technical Specifications
- The most current release of the SYSD and CPMS software is release 7.2.
Compatibility
SYSD including CPMS, SYSD/ATP, and SYSD/JFT
Unless otherwise specified, the compatibility specifications listed below apply to all supported releases of SYSD.
SYSD/JFT
SYSD/JFT (Job and File Tailoring) is an optional interface to SYSD that allows programmers easily to develop interactive CICS panels for tailored job submission and file updating. An alternative to ISPF file tailoring, SYSD/JFT permits a user to submit JCL without seeing any JCL statements.
Features of SYSD/JFT include easy editing and verification of user input; easy screen definition; and dynamic panel, skeleton, and message processing.
SYSD/JFT allows programmers to create CICS panels in the ISPF-like, panel-driven dialog manager using the same type of definitions for displaying screens as the ISPF Dialog Manager. A panel consists of up to five different sections:
SYSD/JFT allows someone like a systems programmer to generate these panels and then make them available to all users. A programmer can customize panels to match the end-users' level of expertise. Because panel logic handles all the conversion, inexperienced users don't need to learn JCL to customize application-generated reports.
SYSD/JFT keeps users in CICS while the "no mistakes" panel input ensures correct results from online job submissions and file updates.
SYSD/ATP
The SYSD/ATP (Access to Panvalet) optional interface gives you the ability to access and update CA-Panvalet libraries from the powerful SYSD ISPF/PDF-like editor.
Why use SYSD/ATP?
- CA-Panvalet libraries and partitioned data sets (PDS) can be mixed for accessing and copying. This support for multiple libraries increases your flexibility and saves time by allowing you to easily convert from CA-Panvalet libraries to PDS and vice versa.
- All PDS, sequential data sets, and CA-Panvalet libraries are available for browsing and editing under the same set of menus, eliminating the need for separate CA-Panvalet menus.
- CA-Panvalet security and auditing features remain intact. Your organization will experience savings by giving users the ability to browse and update members under the resource-efficient CICS address space while still maintaining full audit control.
- Library directory lists display comments and member information and allow you to easily select members for editing. Comments can be directly updated while editing a member.
- An ATP comments user-exit provides support for ISPF/PDF-like statistics. Exit from an edit session can generate an automatic update to the CA-Panvalet status comment and eliminate duplication of efforts.
- The SAVE and CREATE commands allow you to merge the current edit file into the source data set or into an entirely new member.
- If you are familiar with the ISPF/PDF or SYSD editor, the SYSD/ATP option eliminates retraining. Systems programmers and others who work with PDF can take advantage of CA-Panvalet without having to learn a new system.
CPMS (CICS Print Management System)
CICS Print Management System (CPMS), which runs under CICS, is an alternative to Spool Display and Search Facility (SDSF) and JES328x. CPMS allows CICS users to monitor and display the JES2 spool, route and delete jobs, and manually or automatically print JES2 SYSOUT data sets.
Like SDSF, CPMS allows CICS users to monitor batch jobs and review resulting output, but CPMS provides this functionality without the need to leave the CICS session, and without requiring users to have TSO.
Spool manager
The facility for spool display and search in CPMS provides secured and restricted online access to spooled report information. Criteria defined in the CPMS user profile can limit the depth of user access and permit display of only those jobs to which the individual has been assigned view authority.
The four-screen split/swap feature allows authorized personnel to view multiple pictures of a job. With up to four sessions running concurrently, they can swap back and forth and scroll to specific areas. Split/swap can be used to compare jobs, check on printing progress while working on another project, or view the JES2 and CPMS printing statistics while maintaining access to a report.
Print manager
As a print controller, CPMS allows users to print on any system or convenience printer defined to CICS or any departmental printer that JES2 drives. CPMS allows CICS printers to function as JES2 writers without JES2 remote definitions. After someone views a report, CPMS can be used to control final disposition.
Mainframe printing features
CPMS offers these features for mainframe printing:
- Full printer recovery
- Job output routing and queuing to a CICS printer; printed spool files stay on the JES spool for future printing
- Special forms and form change requests
- Optional banner pages placed between jobs selection criteria to specify single reports or entire jobs
- Extra wide (up to 255 characters) carriage size support
- JOE writer disposition processing to requeue printed reports
- Laser printer fonts, image, and orientation selection
- Forms Control Buffer (FCB) driven
Status information
- Printer is waiting for a forms change
- Hold has been placed on a job
- Print buffer is draining
- Page adjust has been requested
- Printer is waiting for work
JOE writer
A job output element (JOE) writer is started for every active printer in the system. However, there is only one global scanning task, which uses the JOE table in SYSD instead of a JES2 subsystem inquiry. The global scanning task scans JES for SYSOUT data sets that meet the selection criteria of all active JOE writers.