Using the ISPF shell
With the ISPF shell (ISHELL),
a user or systems programmer can use ISPF dialogs instead of shell
commands to perform many tasks, especially those related to file systems
and files. An ordinary user can use the ISPF shell to work with:
- Directories
- Regular files
- FIFO special files
- Symbolic links, including external links
You can also run shell commands, REXX programs, and C programs from the ISPF shell. The ISPF shell can only direct stdout and stderr to a file in your file system, not to your terminal. If it has any contents, the file is displayed when the command or program completes.