Problems when using the ISPF task

This topic provides troubleshooting tips for common problems that might occur while using the ISPF task.

Troubleshooting topics are included for the following problems and scenarios:

Unexpected behavior occurs in the ISPF user session after the user logs on again
Log-on or log-off through the ISPF task takes too long
Log-on through the ISPF task takes too long, even though the system is enabled for reconnectable user sessions.

Unexpected behavior occurs in the ISPF user session after the user logs on again

Symptom: User logs off from an ISPF session. On logging on again, the user encounters an unexpected behavior, such as one of the following:

z/OSMF ISPF environment is not reset
Logon proc is not run
Region size is not restored
Session behaves unexpectedly in some other manner.

Probable cause: The user required a new session, but the ISPF task reconnected the user to an existing session. To save time and system resources, the ISPF task can reconnect a user to an existing session, rather than creating a new session. This reconnect capability requires that some aspects of the user session be preserved after logoff (the session is not completely ended). In some cases, this processing can pose a problem for users who require that their sessions be completely ended and cleaned up during logoff.

Corrective Action: The user can force z/OSMF to create a new session, rather than reconnect to an existing session, by changing one of the logon settings. For example, changing the screen size or region size slightly would result in a new session being created. If this problem occurs frequently or for multiple z/OSMF users, consider deactivating the reconnect capability for the ISPF task. You can do so through parmlib member, CEAPRMxx, which is used to specify options for the common event adapter (CEA) component of z/OS. In CEAPRMxx, the following statements control the reconnect capability for the ISPF task:

RECONTIME limits the number of reconnectable sessions
RECONSESSION limits the time that sessions can remain in a reconnectable state.

To deactivate the reconnect capability for the ISPF task, set one or both of these values to zero, as indicated in the commented section of IBM-supplied member, CEAPRM00. For more information about CEAPRM00, see z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference.

Log-on or log-off through the ISPF task takes too long

Possible Cause: The extra time is used by the system during logon processing to perform a complete log-on for the user. Or, to log-off the user and clean-up the user address space.

Corrective Action: Enable the use of reconnectable sessions for ISPF task users. Doing so can allow for potentially faster logon processing when existing user sessions are eligible for re-use. Enabling reconnectable user sessions involves modifying the CEA component on your system through parmlib member CEAPRMxx. See the descriptions of statements TSOASMGR, RECONSESSIONS, and RECONTIME in z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference. If reconnectable user sessions are already enabled, consider increasing either the RECONSESSIONS or RECONTIME values.

Log-on through the ISPF task takes too long, even though the system is enabled for reconnectable user sessions

Symptom: User selects the ISPF task, but the resultant log-on takes too long, even though the z/OS system is enabled for reconnectable user sessions.

Possible Cause: On a system enabled for reconnectable user sessions, the ISPF task checks for a session to which the user can reconnect. No eligible session was found, however, possibly because the session has expired, based on one or more system limits. Without an available reconnectable session, the ISPF task creates a new session for the user. The additional processing increases the time for the log-on request to complete. Another possibility is that the ISPF task has discarded its reconnectable user sessions as part of normal clean-up. This processing occurs when the ISPF task is idle (has no active users) for at least 15 minutes. After the clean-up is completed, a subsequent user of the ISPF task will always receive a new session.

Corrective Action: You can increase the number of reconnectable sessions allowed on your system and the time that sessions can remain connectable. See the descriptions of the RECONTIME and RECONSESSION statements of parmlib member CEAPRMxx in z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference. Regardless of these settings, the ISPF task discards its reconnectable sessions when it is idle for 15 minutes.