Validating and building text units (SJFREQ macro with VERIFY)

An application's processing may involve the dynamic allocation of SYSOUT data sets. As part of this processing, the application allows the user (a programmer or another program) to specify the output format characteristics of the SYSOUT data set. These characteristics are referred to as output descriptor information. The application needs to process the output descriptor information and pass the information to the dynamic output service. Dynamic output requires input in text unit format.

SJFREQ VERIFY validates the output descriptor information specified by the user or application and returns data in text unit format. A text unit pointer list, created by VERIFY, can be used as input to dynamic output. The application then has the data in the format needed by dynamic output.

An application that provides a menu through which users enter print options might use SJF to check the user-specified options. For example, an application might have a menu that allows users to indicate paper size, number of copies, number of lines per page, font, a delivery address, and a user name. After a user enters this information, the application can call SJF to validate and process the options so the system can use the options to create the user's output.