Use dynamic statements for ISFPARMS to avoid reassembly

Description: ISFPARMS in SDSF is used for specifying global options, the format of panels, and security for SDSF functions. SDSF provides two alternatives for ISFPARMS:

Assembler macros that you define, assemble, and then link into the SDSF load library. This is the original format for defining ISFPARMS and it continues to be supported for compatibility.
Dynamic statements, which are in parmlib member ISFPRMxx. Dynamic statements are the recommended format. They are easier to code and are more dynamic than the assembler macros; they can be updated without reassembling or link-editing. The statements are processed by an SDSF server, which is controlled by MVS™ operator commands.

Element or feature:

SDSF.

When change was introduced:

General migration action not tied to a specific release.

Applies to migration from:

z/OS V1R13 and z/OS V1R12.

Timing:

Before the first IPL of z/OS V2R1.

Is the migration action required?

No, but recommended to avoid the migration action of reassembling your customized ISFPARMS for each z/OS® release. (If you do not use dynamic statements for ISFPARMS, reassembly of your customized ISFPARMS is required on each release.)

Target system hardware requirements:

None.

Target system software requirements:

None.

Other system (coexistence or fallback) requirements:

None.

Restrictions:

None.

System impacts:

None.

Related IBM® Health Checker for z/OS check:

Use check SDSF_ISFPARMS_IN_USE to verify that SDSF dynamic statements in ISFPRMxx are being used rather than the assembler macros. If the check determines that the assembler macro ISFPARMS is in use instead, and that it has been modified, the check generates an exception. If the assembler macro ISFPARMS is in use but it has not been modified, so that all defaults are in effect, the check does not generate an exception.

SDSF registers this check with the IBM Health Checker for z/OS infrastructure when the SDSF server address space is initialized. However, one of the items this check verifies is that the SDSF server itself is in use, so you have to manually add this check (particularly if you do not use the SDSF server) so that the IBM Health Checker for z/OS infrastructure will invoke the check. To add the check, put the following statement in your PROGxx parmlib member: EXIT ADD EXITNAME(HZSADDCHECK) MODNAME(ISFHCADC).

SDSF health checks are distributed in ISF.SISFLOAD for installations running SDSF in the LNKLST. The checks are also distributed in ISF.SISFLINK for installations that do not run SDSF in the LNKLST. For those installations, ISF.SISFLINK must be added to the LNKLST.

Note: To avoid a possible ABEND 290 with reason code 02014007 issued by HZSADDCK:

Make sure that you specify the proper check routine name. The check routine module must be in an APF-authorized library. The system must be able to locate the check routine within the joblib, the steplib of the IBM Health Checker for z/OS address space, the LPA, or the LNKLST.
Make sure that you specify the proper message table name. The message table module must be in an APF-authorized library. The system must be able to locate the message table within the joblib, the steplib of the IBM Health Checker for z/OS address space, the LPA, or the LNKLST.

Steps to take: If you are already using dynamic statements for ISFPARMSxx, there is no migration action to perform.

If you are using assembler macros for ISFPARMS, do one of the following:

Convert your existing ISFPARMS to dynamic statements by using a conversion utility that you invoke with the ISFACP command.
Reassemble your customized ISFPARMS for use with z/OS V2R1. Reassembly must be done whenever you change your z/OS release. Before reassembling ISFPARMS, you might want to update it for new function. The assembler ISFPARMS cannot be shared with any other release of SDSF. Only use ISFPARMS for the release on which it is assembled.
Note: If you have an SMP/E usermod that specifies modifications to assembler macro ISFPARMS, change the usermod to indicate that module ISFPARMS is now owned by the z/OS V2R1 SDSF JES2 feature FMID (JJE779S) and not the base z/OS V2R1 SDSF FMID (HQX7790). The correct SMP/E syntax is ++VER(Z038) FMID(JJE779S), instead of ++VER(Z038) FMID(HQX7790).

Reference information: See the following information:

For details about invoking the conversion utility with the ISFACP command, see z/OS SDSF Operation and Customization.
For information about ISFPARMS and the ISFPRMxx parmlib member, see "ISFPARMS format alternatives" in z/OS SDSF Operation and Customization.