Using action commands and overtype fields in the end user interface

Types of action commands

You can perform actions against the contents of an administration view by issuing a primary or line action command, where:

Primary action commands
Are issued in the COMMAND field of an Information Display panel. They affect the view shown in the current window.
Line action commands
Are issued in the line command field of a window. They affect the view in the window from which the command is issued. This window need not be the current window.

Line action commands can be repeated, as described in Repeating a line action command.

If you enter an invalid action command, or if a command cannot be processed for any reason, error messages are displayed in the window. When you press Enter, any additional messages that could not fit in the window are displayed. Once all the messages have been displayed, you can press Enter to clear the messages from the window. The view reappears with ERR in the field where the action command was entered. (When the action command is entered from a summary view and the command was successful for only some of the resources summarized, MIX appears in the field; this indicates the action command produced mixed results.) The next time you press Enter, ERR (or MIX) is removed.

There are several common types of action commands that you can use with the administration views:

CREate
To create a definition and add it to the data repository you can: An administration definition name can be 1 to 8 characters in length. The name can contain alphabetic, numeric, or national characters. However, the first character must be alphabetic.
ADD
To add an association between two definitions enter the ADD line action command next to the name of one of the definitions. The resulting panel prompts you to identify the other definition with which you want to create an association. Adding an association creates a relationship between the definitions in the data repository. Associations can be added between definitions and groups, between groups and specifications, and between specifications and CICS® systems.
UPDate
To update a definition in the data repository enter the UPD line action command next to the name of the definition you want to change. The resulting panel is a modifiable version of the panel used to create the definition.
SET
To modify a definition directly from the view in which it appears:
  1. Enter the SET line action command next to the name of the definition you want to change.

    The value you specified in the Require Set field on the CICSPlex® SM entry panel determines whether or not you must use the SET command when you overtype a field.

  2. Move the cursor to the appropriate overtype fields in the view and modify the contents of those fields.
The changes are applied to the data repository when you press Enter.
BROwse
To browse a definition in the data repository enter the BRO line action command next to the name of the definition you want to display. The resulting panel is a nonmodifiable version of the panel used to create the definition.
REMove
To remove a definition or an association between two definitions from the data repository enter the REM line action command next to the name of the definition you want to remove. When you press Enter, a confirmation panel is displayed. Press Enter again to remove the definition from the data repository. If the last resource is removed, subsequent REMove commands result in a "NO DATA" message being displayed.
TEMpmp
To specify a temporary maintenance point CMAS to be used when the identified maintenance point is unavailable enter the TEMPMP primary action command. The resulting panel prompts you to identify a CMAS to serve as the temporary maintenance point.

A temporary maintenance point keeps track of any changes you make to administration definitions while the maintenance point CMAS is unavailable. However, the information is not shared with other CMASs in the network. When the maintenance point CMAS becomes available again, the information is removed from the data repository of the temporary maintenance point.

For more information about working with maintenance point CMASs, refer to Working with maintenance point CMASs.

MAP
To display a visual map of the definitions in the data repository enter the MAP line action command next to the name of the definition you want to use as a starting point. The resulting panel prompts you to specify the type of definitions to be mapped: business application services (BAS), resource monitoring (MON), real-time analysis (RTA), or workload management (WLM).

Alternatively, you can use a specific line action command (BAS, MON, RTA, or WLM) to map the desired definitions.

For a complete description of the MAP action command and the display it produces, see Displaying a map of CICSPlex SM definitions.

All of these actions, except MAP and BROWSE, affect the contents of the data repository and the changes are applied immediately. Most of the changes to the data repository have no effect, however, on CICS systems that are currently active. These changes affect a CICS system the next time the CICS system is restarted.

Notes:
  1. When you use the CICSSYS or PERIODEF views to update definitions, the changes affect both the data repository and currently active CICS systems.
  2. Changes to a currently running MAS are not included in the data repository.
  3. All of these actions can also be performed using the batched repository-update facility, which is described in Using the batched repository-update facility.

A list of the specific action commands available for each view is included with the view descriptions in this book. The online help for a view also identifies the valid action commands.

For more information about using action commands and overtype fields, see the CICSPlex SM User Interface Guide.

Repeating a line action command

You can issue multiple line action commands in a window at one time when a general or summary view is displayed. To do this, you can either type each command individually, or repeat the same command on subsequent lines of the view.

To repeat a line action command within a view:

  1. Type the command in the line command field next to the first line you want to act against.
  2. Type the equals sign (=) in the command field next to any subsequent lines for which the same command should be issued.

When multiple line action commands are entered (either explicitly or by using the equals sign) they are processed from the top to the bottom of a view.

Displaying a map of CICSPlex SM definitions

You can use the MAP action command to display a visual map of the definitions in your data repository. The map can be of business application services, resource monitoring, real-time analysis, or workload management definitions.

Displaying a map from a view

You can display a map of definitions from any perspective by deciding what type of definition and, of that type, which definition you want to be the starting point. A map consists of a starting point definition and all the definitions that either refer to that definition or are referred to by it.

When you are looking at a view of CICSPlex SM definitions, the line where you issue the MAP action command determines which definition is the initial starting point for the map. For example, suppose you are looking at a list of your CICS system groups in the CICSGRP view. You can issue the MAP action command next to group EYUCSG01. On the resulting panel you are prompted for the type of definitions to be mapped: business application services (BAS), resource monitoring (MON), real-time analysis (RTA), workload management (WLM).

Figure 3 shows an example of the map that is displayed when you specify RTA.

Figure 3. Sample map of definitions referred to by a CICSGRP
-------------------------- MAP of CSYSGRP EYUCSG01 -------------Row 1 - 5 of 5
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> PAGE
CSYSGRP    RTASPEC    RTAGROUP   PERIODEF   (R)RTADEF     (E)EVALDEF
                                            (S)STATDEF    (A)ACTION
--------   --------   --------   --------   -----------   -----------
EYUCSG01---EYURTS01---EYURTG01---EYUPDF01-+-(R)EYURTD01-+-(A)EYURTA01
                                          |             +-(E)EYURTE09
                                          +-(R)EYURTD02-+-(A)EYURTA11
                                          |             +-(E)EYURTE16
                                          +-(S)EYURTP01
 
 
 
 
 
Note:
Alternatively, you can issue the BAS, MON, RTA, or WLM action command directly to map definitions of the specified type.

Notice that a map fills the screen and temporarily overlays the information display panel. A message in the ISPF short message area indicates how many rows of data there are and how many are currently displayed. You can use the ISPF scroll commands (UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT) to scroll the contents of a map that is larger than one screen. When you issue the END command, the map disappears and the information display panel is redisplayed.

In the map shown in Figure 3, the CICS system group called EYUCSG01 is the starting point and it appears in the left-most position of the display. In most cases, the initial map display is built from left to right, with the starting point on the left.

An exception to this left-to-right perspective is a map built from a low-level definition that does not refer to other definitions; it is only referred to by higher level definitions. In that case, the map is built from right to left and the starting point is on the right.

For example, looking at Figure 3, you might have issued the MAP action command from the EVALDEF view for the evaluation definition called EYURTE16. Evaluation definitions are among the lowest level of real-time analysis definitions. They do not refer to any definitions; they are only referred to by other definitions. So there are no definitions to be mapped to the right of an evaluation definition. In this example, then, EYURTE16 would appear on the right and all of the definitions that refer to it would be mapped to the left.

Note:
The following definitions are low-level definitions. When they are the starting point for a map, they appear on the right and the map is built from right to left: The definitions in a map are connected by one of the following symbols:
-
The definition is associated with a definition to the left or right.
+
The definition is associated with a definition to the left or right and there is another definition above or below it that has the same association.
|
The definition is associated with the same definition as the one above or below it.
A definition that appears on the screen in either high intensity or a different color is considered an orphan; it is referred to by other definitions, but it does not exist in the data repository. For example, in Figure 3, the evaluation definition EYURTE09 was referred to when analysis definition EYURTD01 was created; however, EYURTE09 itself has not yet been created.

In a business application services (BAS) map, additional fields of data related to one or more definitions appear on the screen in either low intensity or a different color. These fields contain descriptive data, rather than definition names; they are protected and you cannot tab to them.

Displaying related maps

Once a map is displayed, you can change the starting point for the map. This enables you to see additional, related definitions either to the right or to the left of a given definition. Also, as you move through a series of related maps, you can redisplay previous maps.

To change the starting point for a map, type one of the following commands in the COMMAND field, tab to the definition you want to be the starting point, and press Enter:

MAP LEFT
To display a map of definitions to the left of the selected starting point (that is, definitions that refer to the starting point).
MAP RIGHT
To display a map of definitions to the right of the selected starting point (that is, definitions that are referred to by the starting point).

Alternatively, if the MAP LEFT and MAP RIGHT commands have been assigned to PF keys, position the cursor to a starting point before pressing the appropriate PF key.

For example, you can start with Figure 3, which is a map of definitions that are referred to by the CICS system group EYUCSG01. If you tab to EYURTG01 and issue the MAP LEFT command, you can see a map of the definitions that refer to that analysis group. Figure 4 shows the map that is displayed when you issue MAP LEFT from EYURTG01.

Figure 4. Map of an RTAGROUP after MAP LEFT
-------------------------- MAP of RTAGROUP EYURTG01 ------------Row 1 - 1 of 2
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> PAGE
(S)CSYSDEF    (R)RTASPEC    RTAGROUP
(G)CSYSGRP    (A)APSPEC
(C)CPLXCMAS
-----------   -----------   -----------
(S)EYUMAS1A-+-(R)EYURTS01---EYURTG01
(S)EYUMAS1B-|
(S)EYUMAS2A-|
(G)EYUCSG01-+
 
 
 

In this map, EYURTG01 is now the starting point. It appears on the right of the display and the definitions that refer to it (an analysis specification called EYURTS01, CICS systems called EYUMAS1A, EYUMAS1B, and EYUMAS2A, and the CICS system group EYUCSG01) appear to the left.

From this map, you can tab to EYUCSG01 and issue the MAP RIGHT command to redisplay the original map shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, you can tab to any definition in the map and issue a MAP LEFT or MAP RIGHT command to display a new map of related definitions.

For example, if you tab to a definition on the far left or far right of a map and issue the MAP LEFT or MAP RIGHT command, there may not be any more definitions to map in that direction. If that is the case, the definition you selected is displayed in a map by itself; you can then use that definition as the starting point for a map in the other direction.

As you use the MAP LEFT and MAP RIGHT commands to display various maps of related definitions, you may decide you want to redisplay one of those maps. To redisplay previous maps exactly as they appeared, issue the following command:

MAP PREV
Displays the map of definitions that appeared immediately before the current map. You can display up to 20 previously displayed maps.

Displaying another view from a map

While you are looking at a map, you can display a view of any one of the definitions in the map. To do this, place the cursor on a definition name and press Enter. The view that represents that type of definition is displayed with a single line of data for the definition you selected.

For example, in Figure 4, if you place the cursor on EYURTS01 and press Enter, the RTASPEC view appears with information about that analysis specification. From the RTASPEC view, you can determine what types of real-time analysis are defined in that specification. You can also change the specification, which would affect the CICS systems that use EYURTS01.

Once you display a view, you cannot return directly to the map that preceded it. Displaying a view is equivalent to issuing the END command to exit from a map; you have to reissue the MAP action command to display another map.

Notes:
  1. If the definition you select is an orphan, which means it does not yet exist, the view contains data for all definitions of that type that do exist. You can then create a definition using the name that appeared in the map.
  2. You cannot display a view of CMAS or CICSplex definitions from a map. Because a map is made up of business application services, resource monitoring, real-time analysis, or workload management definitions, the context is necessarily a CICSplex. To display CMAS or CICSplex definitions, the context must be a CMAS. If you select a CMAS or CICSplex definition and press Enter, you receive an error message.

Using selection lists

When you enter a value for which specific input is required and your value does not meet the requirements for that value, a selection list is displayed. The selection list includes all values that meet the requirements for that type of input. Selection lists can be displayed when you enter any of the following:

One example is the selection list of period definitions that is displayed when the generic value ‘period*’ is entered in an input panel.

Figure 5. Selection list displayed when a generic name is specified
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> Page
Active Time requires a specific resource.
Select a single entry, change the key, or enter END or CANCEL to terminate.
 
                    Resources matching key: *
 
C Name     Description                    Type             Status
- -------- ------------------------------ ---------------- -----------------
_ EYUPDF01 SSet - Normal day              PERIODEF         N/A
_ EYUPDF02 SSet - Batch time              PERIODEF         N/A
****************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *********************************
 

You can select a value from a selection list in one of two ways:

Another way a selection list can be displayed is when, on an input panel, you specify a resource name for a CICSplex resource that does not exist. For example, when you create a CICS system definition, you might specify a name for a period definition that has not been created. When this happens, a selection list for that type of resource is displayed, with a message indicating that the resource is not found. Figure 6 shows an example of this type of selection list.

Figure 6. Selection list displayed when a resource is not found
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> Page
Active Time EYUPDF04 is not found on the repository.
Select an entry, press Enter to accept, or enter END or CANCEL to terminate.
 
                    Selected Active  EYUPDF04
 
C Name     Description                    Type             Status
- -------- ------------------------------ ---------------- -----------------
_ EYUPDF01 SSet - Normal day              PERIODEF         N/A
_ EYUPDF02 SSet - Batch time              PERIODEF         N/A
****************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *********************************
 

You can do one of the following:

Using overtype fields

An overtype field is a modifiable field in a view that contains data related to a specific CICS resource or CICSPlex SM definition. Overtype fields are shown either in high intensity or in a different color from other fields in the view.

To change the contents of one or more overtype fields in a view, type over the current contents with new values. For specific values known to CICSPlex SM, you need not type the entire value; you can type the smallest number of unique characters needed to distinguish your request from any other appropriate entry. When you press Enter, CICSPlex SM accepts the new values.

Notes:
  1. If you specified YES in the Require Set field on the CICSPlex SM entry panel, you must use the SET line action command when you overtype a field to prevent inadvertent modification of information.
  2. When the value you enter does not completely overwrite the old value, you can (but are not required to) delete the remainder of the old value.

For more information about overtyping fields, see the CICSPlex SM User Interface Guide.

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