Syntax and parameters for the CONSOLE statement

(N)

The system console is restricted from issuing commands until it enters PD mode. This is the default value.

(Y)

The system console is permitted to issue commands even if it is not running in problem determination (PD) mode.

AREA     {(nn[,nn]...)}
         {(NONE)      }

You can separate multiple values with a blank or a comma.

AUTH     {(MASTER)           }
         {(INFO)             }
         {([SYS][,IO][,CONS])}
         {(ALL)              }

For information about which commands can be entered from a console with a specific authority level, see z/OS MVS Planning: Operations.

CMDSYS     {(sysname)}
           {(*)      }

A value of * is recommended for SMCS consoles because the console is not tied to a system and the use of z/OS® Communication Server Generic Resources might place the console on different systems at different times.

CON     {(Y)}
        {(N)}

N

nonconversational mode; all messages that are selected for deletion are automatically deleted.

Y

Conversational mode; on this console you must verify all messages that are selected for message deletion with the cursor, or selector pen or through the CONTROL command.

DEL     {(Y) }
        {(R) }
        {(RD)}
        {(W) }
        {(N) }

N

Automatic message deletion is not in effect. Messages must be deleted manually.

R

Specifies roll mode. In roll mode, the system deletes a specified number of messages from the screen when an interval elapses. Deletion occurs only if the screen is full and messages are waiting to be displayed.

RD

Specifies roll mode except for messages awaiting actions (WTORs, system failure messages (descriptor code 1), immediate action messages (descriptor code 2), and critical eventual action messages (descriptor code 11)). These messages roll to the top of the screen and remain there until deleted.

W

Specifies wrap mode. In wrap mode, after the screen is filled with messages, new messages overlay the old messages beginning at the top of the screen. A separator line appears and follows the most recent message on the screen. No messages are retained on the screen once overlaid by the separator line. The areas that were defined by the AREA keyword exist, but are unavailable until the console is put into a non-wrap mode.

Y

All messages that are selected for deletion are deleted when the screen becomes full.

DEVNUM     {(devnum)    }
           {(SUBSYSTEM) }
           {(SYSCONS)   }
           {(SMCS)      }
           {(HMCS)      }

DEVNUM

Specifies the type of console. DEVNUM is required and must be the first keyword on the CONSOLE statement.

devnum

devnum must be the same as the number that was specified for the device on the Add Device panel in HCD.

Note: The system pins UCBs for console devices defined in CONSOLxx at IPL time, and the UCBs are only unpinned when a console definition is removed using the console removal definition service, which can be invoked using the IEARELCN sample program that resides in SYS1.SAMPLIB. To get a console device with HCD, an IPL is required, unless the console definition is deleted using the SETCON DELETE, CN= command or using IEARELCN.

Value range: 1 to 4 hexadecimal digits, optionally preceded by a slash (/).

HMCS

For an HMCS console, DEVNUM(HMCS) must be specified. DEVNUM(SMCS) is mutually exclusive with the UNIT and SYSTEM keywords.

SMCS

For an SMCS console, DEVNUM(SMCS) must be specified. DEVNUM(SMCS) is mutually exclusive with the UNIT and SYSTEM keywords.

SUBSYSTEM

Indicates that this console is reserved for subsystem use. The only keywords that are valid with the DEVNUM(SUBSYSTEM) setting are AUTH and NAME. A subsystem console can have MASTER authority, but it cannot be assigned at IPL. If this subsystem console has been specified with AUTH(Master) at IPL, the default value of the AUTH parameter is set to AUTH(ALL). Otherwise, the default is set to AUTH(INFO).

SYSCONS

Indicates that this console is the system console that is attached to this processor. The use of the SYSCONS keyword is optional. The first time that you put the system console into problem determination (PD) mode (by issuing VARY CN(*),ACTIVATE from the system console), its attributes are taken from the CONSOLE statement with DEVNUM(SYSCONS). If there is no such statement, a default set of attributes is used (see “System Console Defaults” below). The system console's attributes can be changed with the VARY CN command.

The SYSCONS is an extended MCS console. See z/OS MVS Planning: Operations for more information.

If AMRF(N) on the INIT statement is specified, then the DOM attribute for the SYSCONS extended MCS console is set to DOM(ALL) instead of DOM(NORMAL). If AMRF(Y) on the INIT statement is specified or defaulted, then the DOM attribute for the SYSCONS extended MCS console is set to DOM(NORMAL). For more information about the DOM attribute for extended MCS consoles, see z/OS MVS Planning: Operations.

If your MVS system is running as a guest on the z/VM* system, and the VM system is at release level 1.1.1 or later, VM simulates the system console hardware regardless of the processor type.

System console defaults: The system console receives the normal default values for the keywords that are valid with DEVNUM (SYSCONS), except for the following keywords:

• NAME. The system generates a name for the system console. (For more information, see the description of the NAME keyword.)
• AUTH. The system console is always forced to have MASTER authority.
• MSCOPE. The system console default is MSCOPE(*).
• LEVEL. The system console default is ALL,NB.

Note: The only keywords that are valid with DEVNUM(SYSCONS) are NAME, ROUTCODE, LEVEL, MONITOR, MSCOPE, AUTOACT, CMDSYS, INTIDS, UNKNIDS, and ALLOWCMD. All others are ignored.

For more information about using SMCS, devices or emulators that can be used with SMCS, and HMCS, see z/OS MVS Planning: Operations.

LOGON {(REQUIRED)}
      {(OPTIONAL)}
      {(AUTO)}
      {(DEFAULT)}

You can use this optional parameter to override the LOGON value that is specified on the DEFAULT statement (if any). The system treats the system console as LOGON(OPTIONAL) no matter what LOGON value is specified on the DEFAULT statement.

IBM suggests that SMCS consoles be LOGON(REQUIRED), either by the system-wide specification on the DEFAULT statement or by the individual CONSOLE statement.

If a TIMEOUT value is specified for the console and an operator has logged on with a user ID, the system automatically logs the user ID off after the number of minutes specified in TIMEOUT has occurred without any console input activity. An example of console input activity is pressing an attention-generating key such as Enter, PFK, PA1, or PA2.

If an operator is not logged on to the console, the system rejects commands that are issued from that console.

(AUTO) specifies this console is automatically logged on when the console is activated. The user ID is the console name. If a TIMEOUT value is specified for this console, it is ignored when the user ID matches the console name.

(DEFAULT) specifies that this console uses the LOGON specification on the DEFAULT statement.

(N)

The specified console is not to receive these messages.

(Y)

The specified console is to receive these messages.

LEVEL     {(ALL)                  }
          {([ALL][,NB])           }
          {([R][,I][,CE][,E][,IN])}

ALL

Indicates that the console is to receive all messages.

CE

This console is to receive critical eventual action messages.

E

This console is to receive eventual action messages.

I

This console is to receive immediate action messages.

IN

This console is to receive informational messages.

NB

This console is to receive no broadcast messages.

R

This console is to receive the messages that require an operator reply.

LEVEL (R,I,CE,E,IN)

MFORM     {(M)              }
          {([J][,S][,T][,X])}

M indicates that the system is to display the message text only. The message display does not include timestamp, job ID, or job name information, or the system name. M is the default.

J specifies that the display is to include the job ID or name.

S specifies that the display is to include the name of the system originating the message.

T specifies that the display is to include a timestamp.

X specifies that the system suppress the job name and system name for JES3 messages that are issued from the global processor.

MONITOR(JOBNAMES-T,SESS-T,STATUS)

JOBNAMES

specifies that the system is to display the names of jobs when they start and end. The system also displays input/output device allocation at the start of a job step and includes the job name in a diagnostic message if the job ends abnormally.

SESS

Specifies that the system is to display the user ID for each TSO/E session when the session starts and ends. The system also includes the user ID in a diagnostic message if a session ends abnormally.

-T

Specifies that the system is to display the time with the job name or the user ID. Code -T with the JOBNAMES or the SESS parameter. The time is displayed in hh:mm:ss format. When specified, -T is activated for all consoles that have MONITOR turned on.

STATUS

Specifies that the system is to display the names and volume serial numbers of data sets having dispositions of KEEP, CATLG, or UNCATLG whenever these data sets are freed.

MSCOPE     {(sysname|*[,sysname]...)}
           {(*ALL)                  }

*ALL indicates that unsolicited messages from all systems in the sysplex are to be received by this console.

To make the same console available to different systems in a sysplex, you must specify the same value for the NAME parameter on the CONSOLE statement in each system's CONSOLxx parmlib member.

Do not specify a console name that could be confused with a device number. For example, do not use a console name like BEAD, since it can be confused with device number x'BEAD'.

Do not use HC, INSTREAM, INTERNAL, SYSIOSRS, UNKNOWN, OPERLOG, SYSLOG, LOGON, or LOGOFF for conname; these names are reserved for the system.

If you specify a system name that the system can interpret as a valid device number, the system does not use SYSNAME as the name of the system console. If the system cannot use SYSNAME for the system console name, or if the system console name is not unique, the name of the system console is SYSCNxxx, where xxx is a three-character suffix generated by the system.

If you try to define a console whose name is the same as an existing console, the system rejects the definition.

tablname

The 1-8 alphanumeric name for the table. It must be the same as one defined in a PFKTABxx parmlib member. The PFKTABxx member must be active, that is, identified in the PFK parameter on the INIT statement in CONSOLxx.

For more information about PFK tables, see PFKTABxx (program function key table definition).

    'D T'   followed by    'D C;D R;K E,D'

Commands that are entered through PF keys cannot be retrieved, unless the keys are in conversational mode (CON=Y).

Any commands entered through PF keys are retrieved only in case of RBUF(1), even if the keys are in non-conversational mode (CON=N).

ROUTCODE     {(ALL)                   }
             {(NONE)                  }
             {(nnn[,nnn-nnn][,nnn]...)}

Do not assign routing code 11 to a console, because it is meant for programmer information rather than operator information.

(N)

The system console does not support standby mode.

(Y)

The console supports standby mode.

The SYSTEM keyword is mutually exclusive with DEVNUM(SMCS) and DEVNUM(HMCS).

This parameter is primarily used for consoles which are physically attached to multiple systems and managed by a physical switch. In this case, the SYSTEM parameter determines which system should attempt to activate the console. You cannot define multiple CONSOLE statements with the same DEVNUM and specify a different SYSTEM on each statement. Only the first statement is processed, and an error message is issued if additional statements exist.

UNIT     {(3270-X)}
         {(3277-2)}
         {(3278-2)}
         {(3278-2A)}
         {(3278-3)}
         {(3278-4)}
         {(3279-2A)}
         {(3279-2B)}
         {(3279-2C)}
         {(3279-3A)}
         {(3279-3B)}
         {(PRT)   }

PRT

Specifies that the console is a printer. The Add Device panel in HCD must specify a valid device type that can be defined as a printer.

Default: If you do not code the UNIT keyword, the system uses the information entered through HCD for the device number to determine the unit type. If the HCD information indicates that it is a display device, the system defaults the UNIT value to 3270-X.

(N)

The specified console is not to receive these messages. This is the default value.

(Y)

The specified console is to receive these messages.

(FC)

Defines a full-capability console able to enter commands and receive status displays and messages. If the console is a display device, specify USE(FC).

(MS)

Defines a message stream console. If the console is a printer, specify USE(MS).

(SD)

Defines a status display console.