Basic Screen Format and Handling

When the syntax is identical to ISPF (e.g., UP and DOWN), the functions are identical. However, many commands, such as FIND, have been extended with operands and functionality to suit Optim.

The functioning of several primary commands differs depending on the current Optim activity. Information about these differences is included with the commands described in this manual. For detailed information about all Optim primary commands, see the Command Reference Manual, Primary Commands.

Common Panel

Facilities that are common to all Optim components are documented in this manual. For the most part, figures in this manual present the panels as they appear when all Optim components are installed. The facilities available exclusively with Archive, Access, Compare, or Move are noted in this manual and documented in the appropriate user manual.

Pop-up Windows®

Optim incorporates a unique pop-up window facility that is independent of the current ISPF release. A pop-up window facilitates the current function, without terminating it.

Some pop-up windows provide selection lists. For example, when adding table names to an Access Definition, you can display a pop-up window with a list of available tables, and select the desired names directly from the list. When the pop-up window is terminated, the selected tables are automatically listed in the Access Definition and you can continue editing it.

For sites using DB2® version 8 or later, pop-up windows are also used to enter Long Object Names (LONs) of up to 128 characters for objects such as tables and creator IDs. Pop-up windows for LONs are displayed using the EXPAND command. See Long Object Names (LONs) for further information.

The characters used to draw the box around a pop-up window are site‑defined. User options allow you to change these characters. The figures in this manual show pop-up windows delimited by dashes and vertical bars.

Function Keys

Function keys are handled as in ISPF. The keys provide a simple way to execute primary commands. When a function key is pressed, it is evaluated as if the command assigned to the key were typed in the primary command area of the screen. (See PF Keys in the Command Reference Manual for information on assigning values to function keys.)

The ISPF command PFSHOW is available to display the function key assignments on the screen. The ISPF command KEYS is available to list your current function key assignments. This list is modifiable.

Changes to the PF key assignments during an Optim session affect the assignments only while using Optim. The changes do not affect assignments for other ISPF applications.

Several functions are frequently assigned to function keys. The following are of note:

HELP

Displays Help information for the active Optim panel. This information explains the purpose and use of the current panel. It may also list the commands available on the current panel. You can scroll certain Help panels, using the function keys F10 and F11. HELP is usually assigned to PF1.

END

Process input and return to the previously displayed panel. END is usually assigned to PF3.

Scrolling

All ISPF scrolling functions are supported. Vertical and horizontal scrolling is coordinated with the scroll value specified in SCROLL. This value can be specified as:

blank

Cursor location determines the scroll amount.

PAGE

Full page scroll so that the line or column following the last line or column on the current page is the first line or column of the next page.

DATA

Full page scroll so that the last line or column on the current screen is the first line or column on the next screen.

HALF

Half page scroll.

n

Specific number of rows or columns to scroll.

MAX

Depending on direction, either the first full screen of data or the last full screen of data is displayed.

Scrolling LONs

Another type of scroll functionality is available for viewing Long Object Names (LONs) that exceed the display area on a given panel. Table names, for example, can consist of up to 128 characters, which is larger than the display area allocated for those names on Optim panels. In such cases, you can use the LEFT and RIGHT function keys (typically F10 and F11) to scroll through the entire LON within the display field. For example, if the Table Name area on a panel is 25 characters in length, only the first 25 characters of a 128-character LON are displayed. Press the RIGHT function key to display the next 25 characters, until the entire LON has been displayed; conversely, press the LEFT function key to display the previous 25 characters.

If you need to view the entire LON in a single viewing, you can use the EXPAND command to display the entire LON in a pop-up or LON panel. See Long Object Names (LONs) for more information on entering and displaying LONs.