Calling MSL from an application

You can invoke the Data Set Commander enhanced Member Selection List (or EDIT, BROWSE, or VIEW) from an application or CLIST. The Data Set Commander interface supports CUT and PASTE, provides the enhanced Member Selection List services, and provides transparent access to PANVALET libraries, LIBRARIAN libraries, DSLIST, VSAM editors or browsers, and Db2 editors or browsers. For example, to view member A1 in the library MY.DATA, you can issue the CLIST command

ISPEXEC SELECT PGM(IQIMSL) PARM(V,MY.DATA(A1)) NEWAPPL(ISR) PASSLIB

The IQIMSL parameters are similar to the parameters specified with the BROWSE, EDIT, and VIEW general commands. The parameters (which should be separated with commas) are:

The default action (V for view, B for browse, E for edit).

The second is the object name (data set name). If none is specified, Data Set Commander performs a cursor position check and uses the data set name pointed by the cursor (point-and-shoot). To prevent a point-and-shoot call, specify <PROMPT> instead of the object name (in this case Data Set Commander displays a browse/EDIT and VIEW prompt screen).

The third parameter is optional and is the volume (for data set objects). If the parameter is omitted, the catalog is used. If a volume pattern is specified, a volume selection is displayed before processing continues.

The last parameter is optional and is intended for invoking applications, and can be specified as Y or N. If Y is specified, Data Set Commander returns to the calling application with return code of 8 if errors occurred (for example, the data set was not found). Otherwise, Data Set Commander displays a prompt screen with an error message, providing the user with the opportunity to change some options and retry.