Using the prompt mode function

Whenever a user issues a command and does not enter a positional operand or specifies the operand incorrectly, the parse service routine prompts the user. The user can then enter question marks to receive second-level messages that provide information about the operand. If second-level messages are unavailable or they have all been displayed, parse determines whether it can use the prompt mode HELP function. This function lets parse generate a HELP command and retrieve information about the operand from the HELP data set.

The prompt mode HELP function is available for the following TSO/E commands: ALTLIB, ATTRIB, CALL, CANCEL, EDIT, EXEC, HELP, OUTPUT, RUN, SEND, RACONVRT, SYNC, and TRANSMIT.

You can provide the prompt mode HELP function for other TSO/E commands and subcommands that have positional operands. The exceptions are the TEST and TESTAUTH commands, which do not support this function. To provide the prompt mode HELP function for these commands and subcommands, update the specific HELP data set members for the command in SYS1.HELP. The member name is the same name as the command. In the member, enter the positional control character )P on the first line of each positional operand description for the command and its subcommands. For more information about the prompt mode HELP function and the )P positional control character, see z/OS TSO/E Programming Guide.

Note: If you update a member for this support, you must ensure that you insert a )P for all of the positional operands for a command and its subcommands. If you do not do this and a positional operand does not have an )P, unpredictable results may occur when the parse service routine uses the prompt mode HELP function.