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ISPF Setting

ISPF Setting Overview:

By selecting option 0 from the Primary Options menu (or by specifying SETTINGS on any command line), the panel shown in following figure will be displayed. This panel is used to customize the ISPF environment as per the requirement of the individual user (a '/' preceding an item indicates that the function is active or turned on).

ISPF settings Screen 1

Press 'F8' to go DOWN. Press 'F7' to go UP.

ISPF settings Screen 2

ISPF Setting Panel:

From this panel you can select a pull-down choice from the Action bar that appears at the top of the ISPF Settings panel. The action bar choices are:

Log/List: Define the ISPF Log and List data set defaults and characteristics. This also provides the JCL to print the data in the List data set. The LOG data set contains a Log of all commands that were issued during an ISPF session. The data set is created when ISPF is invoked At the end of the ISPF Session, the following choices are available :

  • Print the data set and then delete it.

  • Delete the Log data set without printing it and allocate a new one for the next session.

  • Preserve the Log Data set and for the next session, append information to it.

  • Preserve the Log Data set and for the next session, allocate a new Log data set,

The List data set contains the output of all the PRINTs issued during the ISPF session. At the end of the session, the printing is done. The same Process Options hold true for this data set as for the Log data set.

  • Function Keys: Define the PF key settings.

  • Colors: Change the default colors, define the CUA attributes, and define point-andshoot Characteristics.

  • Environ: Settings used to debug an ISPF abend.

  • GUI: Graphical User Interface settings.

  • Workstation: This pull down offers GUI facility with ISPF 4.1 onwards. Refer ISPF User's Guide in IBM Manuals for more information.

  • Identifier: This pulls down offers three panels in turn, which is used to set Message identifier, Panel Identifier and Screen Name settings.

  • Help: Help is available for all the above options and the options on the Settings panel.

ISPF Setting Options:

The following settings are on the first ISPF Settings panel, where you should probably start when you first logon to ISPF (Select option 0 from the Primary Option menu):

Command line at bottom:

In ISPF 4, the default is to place the command at the bottom of the panel (to conform to CUA standards). If your current application profile table specifies ASIS, the ISPF 4 default will not override your profile and the command line will remain at the top of the panel.

To change the location of the command line, enter (or remove) a '/' from the 'Command line at the bottom' line in the Settings panel. Panel display CUA mode - If active, messages are displayed in a different sequence when the command line is at the bottom. If this option is selected, the long message line is followed by the command line which is followed by the PF keys. When not selected, the lines are in reverse sequence.

Long message in pop-up:

If active, this option allows ISPF “long” messages to appear in a popup window instead of the long message line described in the previous item. Tab to action bar choices - This Settings option indicates where the cursor is first placed in a panel. If this option is activated, the HOME key places the cursor under the first action bar choice and you can use the TAB keys to move between the action bar items and other input fields on the panel. To move to the command line, you'll need to use a new command, CRETRIEV, or the „tab to new line‟ key. If you have a PF key set up for RETRIEVE already, simply change it to CRETRIEV.

You can also set up a PF key for the command called ACTION. ACTION toggles the cursor back and forth between the action bar and the command line. If you don't activate this option, you can only move between the action bar choices using the arrow keys and you must use the ACTION command (or a PF key set to ACTION) to move to the action bar.

Tab to point-and-shoot fields:

When selected, this allows the Tab key to move to the point and shoot fields (described in the next section, #5). Restore TEST/TRACE options - When active, the TEST or TRACE values are restored to the ISPF call values when you exit dialog test. Session Manager Mode - When selected, this option tells ISPF whether to use the TSO Session Manager when in Option 6. Using Session Manager Mode allows a user to scroll up and down lists (e.g., output from long commands). In order to use Session Manager in Option 6, the TSO session must be established using Session Manager. Specifying Session Manager to ISPF for a non-SM TSO session does nothing.

Note: Some installations have two procs, one to invoke Session Manager and one, which does not. If you do this, include the logon proc names in sec 7 earlier.

Jump from leader dots:

You're probably familiar with the ability to enter '=x' from the Primary Options Menu or from command lines that have '===>'. This 'Jump from leader dots' is an option that allows you to enter '=x' from any field prompt that has leader dots '. . . . '. Most people will want to leave this option selected. Edit PRINTDS command - If this is selected with a '/', you will intercept any local print request where you have the option to modify the statements before the command is processed. This isn't necessary for most users.


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