ISPF START command does not work.

[rexxhead]

Originally Posted by yarnseeker

If you don't have it and want to add it, search the web for the ADDCMDS macro. That allows you to dynamically add things to your command table. It is a good work around.

ADDCMDS can be found at MVS Code Examples and Utilities

[don.leahy]

Originally Posted by JimMoore

Lemme guess: But custom, site-added ISPCMDS entries - maybe even QW? - work just fine? Jeez, is this still going on out there?

Yep. I recently worked at a site where the 'official' copy of ISPCMDS hadn't been updated since 1993. SITECMDS and USERCMDS were not enabled, so people would work around this by creating their own copy of ISPCMDS and concatenating it ahead of the 'official' version. I was the only one, as far as I know, that went to the trouble of merging IBM's ISPCMDS with the 'official' version before adding my own stuff to my personal copy.

Once I learned about the ISPCCONF command, I activated SITECMDS and moved all of the local stuff into it. But not being a sysprog, I could only influence my own personal ISPF environment.

This was a smaller shop, and there was only one MVS sysprog. Customizing ISPF was way down on his priority list.

[rexxhead]

Originally Posted by don.leahy

This was a smaller shop, and there was only one MVS sysprog. Customizing ISPF was way down on his priority list.

This was the reason ADDCMDS came into being. We had several sysprogs, but none were willing to take ANY risk, so ISPF was always installed 'as delivered'.

Alas, that means SITECMDS and USRCMDS were not enabled.

[Hasan]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I was able to get around the problem by copying the ISPCMDS member from system libraries to the dataset that appears on top in the concatenated dataset list. The customized ISPCMDS table did not have the START command in it.

I can now open new screens with START command. I am just hoping that me overriding that member doesn't create any other problems.

Thanks.

[rexxhead]

Of course, you did a backup before changing it, right? If there are problems, just restore the old one.

[nadel]

suggestion:

1. while using the system setup, type TSO ISPCMDTB and save the resulting edited file to a sequential file named SITE1 using the REPLACE command
2. while using your new command table, type TSO ISPCMDTB
3. Then type COMPARE SITE1 X

That will show you the differences.

[Hasan]

Thanks for those backup instructions.

I did not have to modify any of the tables. I copied the ISPCMDS member from system libraries to the dataset that appears top on the concatenation order. It did not have the ISPCMDS member, the 2nd dataset in the list had. so now mine is overriding the site member.

But I will keep in mind those instructions for taking up backup / to see differences.

I did give a try to ADDCMDS macro but couldn't do much as I am new to REXX/CLIST.

[rexxhead]

Originally Posted by Hasan

I did give a try to ADDCMDS macro but couldn't do much as I am new to REXX/CLIST.

Try ===> tso addcmds ?


It is not a macro. It is a straight REXX exec.

[taltyman]

If the START command doesn't work then it is my opinion that the sysprog that installed your serverpac/tso/ispf did not finish their job. At some point (preferably a decade or so ago) they should have separated out the IBM command table from any local/site commands. Then from then on they would never have to worry about the IBM commands and just used the new ones from serverpac. At some point they should have taken the plunge. If they do their job and create a site table and allow user command tables, then there is no need for ADDCMDS.

I do understand that in the new world sometimes you get beat up for doing changes and the easy way out is to just let things ride. But at some point they need to step up and do the right thing.

[yarnseeker]

Originally Posted by taltyman

I do understand that in the new world sometimes you get beat up for doing changes and the easy way out is to just let things ride. But at some point they need to step up and do the right thing.

In the new world of outsourcing, they ONLY do what you pay them to do and IF you don't mention it, they don't do it. Sort of like the US militaries don't ask don't tell policy! The outsourced data center isn't about to stand up and admit they didn't do something!