Scheduler JCL facility (SJF)

Scheduler JCL facility (SJF) services assist an application in processing the data definition (DD) and system output (SYSOUT) attributes that can be specified on JCL or through dynamic output. SJF services can be used by an application that dynamically allocates SYSOUT data sets.

The SJFREQ macro allows an application to call the following SJF services:

SJFREQ RETRIEVE: Retrieves keyword subparameter information in text unit format from output descriptors. These output descriptors can be specified either on an OUTPUT JCL statement or through dynamic output.
SJFREQ SWBTU_MERGE: Updates SYSOUT characteristics by merging two scheduler work block text unit (SWBTU) lists.
SJFREQ VERIFY: Validates a statement name, operands, and subparameters, and builds text units that can be used as input for the dynamic output service.
SJFREQ TERMINATE: Cleans up the SJF environment established by an SJF service.

This information discusses SJF services and their use for an application program. The descriptions of the individual services identify the types of applications likely to use the services and the circumstances under which an application uses them.

Another SJF macro, SWBTUREQ, allows applications to obtain information from scheduler work block text units (SWBTUs). The SWBTUREQ macro and the SJFREQ macro are described in z/OS MVS Programming: Authorized Assembler Services Reference SET-WTO.

The table that follows outlines the contents of the information.

Topic	Content
Understanding SJF terms	Defines terms used in the discussion of SJF services.
The SJF environment	Describes the SJF environment and considerations for reusing the environment.
Retrieving output descriptor information (SJFREQ macro with RETRIEVE)	Describes the SJFREQ RETRIEVE service.
Merging SWBTUs (SJFREQ macro with SWBTU_MERGE)	Describes the SJFREQ SWBTU_MERGE service.
Validating and building text units (SJFREQ macro with VERIFY)	Describes the SJFREQ VERIFY service.
Freeing the SJF environment (SJFREQ macro with TERMINATE)	Describes the SJFREQ TERMINATE service.
Understanding the OUTDES statement	Describes the OUTDES statement and considerations for using it.