Usage notes

  1. Either USER or USERS must be specified.
  2. The date format displayed in VIEWCON will be based on the CP DATEFORMAT setting of the user issuing the VIEWCON command. If MODE(RDR) is specified, the date format will be provided in yyyy/mm/dd format.
  3. LINES and DATERNG are mutually exclusive.
  4. The name of the combined view created when using the USERS operand begins with $TMP. See the DEFDSPS command to control the data space size for the combined view.
  5. For an explanation of wildcard pattern matching, see Wildcard pattern matching.
  6. You can use the following default PF keys to move through the console display:
    • PF01 — Show the help screen.
    • PF02 — Pass the current VIEWCON session contents to XEDIT.
    • PF03 — End the VIEWCON session.
    • PF05 — Toggle the acknowledgment for a line in the console. To clear an existing hold status, press the PF05 key again.
    • PF06 — Toggle the date/time format displayed.
    • PF07 — Scroll up.
    • PF08 — Scroll down.
    • PF10 — Scroll left.
    • PF11 — Scroll right.
    • PF12 — Retrieve previous command.
    • PF19 — Scroll to the top.
    • PF20 — Scroll to the bottom.
    • PF21 — Process CMS command.
    • PF22 — Display the users viewing the console.
    • PF23 — Toggle auto scrolling.
    • PF24 — Display the PF key assignments.
    • PA02 — Toggle auto scrolling.
    • ENTER — Process the command on the command line.
    Note: For the scrolling PF keys, you can enter a scrolling amount on the command line. If no amount is specified, the scroll amount is equal to the size of the viewing area.

    A command may be typed on the command line for the process CMS command action.

  7. To invoke XEDIT to review the current content, you must have sufficient disk space to save the current content. The filename and filetype of the file created by Operations Manager will be userid systemname. If a file already exists, it will be overwritten.

    The default filemode of the file created by Operations Manager is A1. The XEDIT rules for filemode processing remain in effect. Thus, using the default filemode A1 will result in the file remaining on the A-disk upon exit.

    You may control the file mode used to save the current content by using the XEDITFM=fm setting in VIEWCON PROFILE. For example, by using XEDITFM=A3, if you do not save any changes to the file during the XEDIT session, it will be erased upon exit.

    Any changes made while using XEDIT are not reflected in the live view upon returning from XEDIT.

  8. If an external security manager is being used, for example DEFOPTN ESM(Y),AUTHCMD(N) or DEFOPTN ESM(Y),AUTHCMD(Y), the user must have READ access to the profile ESMPREF.ALTRCON.userid for authorization to use the HOLD/UNHOLD toggle function. Refer to ESM class and Facility class profiles for more information. If an external security manager is not being used, no authorization checking is done for the HOLD/UNHOLD toggle function.
  9. The ALTRCON command and the VIEWCON HOLD/UNHOLD toggle perform the same function.
  10. The amount of data displayed or sent to your virtual reader is set by the user's console or view data space size.
  11. To search through the display, use the forward slash (/) to search forward and the back slash (\) to search backward. Use the equal sign (=) to repeat the previous command. Issue the DEFOPTN command to change these characters. See DEFOPTN for more information.
  12. The actions for PF01–PF24, initial value for the date/time format display, and display of the PF key information lines are configurable through the VIEWCON PROFILE file.
    1. Issue the following command in the VIEWCON PROFILE file to customize the actions for PF01-PF24:
      PFnn=command

      Where nn is 01 - 24 and command is a valid PF key action or command.

      The valid PF key actions are:

      • HELP — Show the help screen.
      • XEDIT — Pass the current VIEWCON session contents to XEDIT.
      • END — End the VIEWCON session.
      • HOLD — Toggle the acknowledgment for a line in the console.
      • FORMAT — Toggle the date/time format displayed.
      • UP — Scroll up.
      • DOWN — Scroll down.
      • LEFT — Scroll left.
      • RIGHT — Scroll right.
      • RECALL — Retrieve previous command.
      • TOP — Scroll to top.
      • BOT — Scroll to bottom.
      • EXCMD — Process CMS command (the command to process may be included).

        Refer to Usage Note 13 for more information.

      • USERS — Display the users viewing the console.
      • SCROLL — Toggle auto scrolling.
      • VIEWPF — Display the PF key assignments.
    2. Issue one of the following commands in the VIEWCON PROFILE file to customize the initial date/time format display:
      • FORMAT=0 — Displays the console data with no date and no time. This is the default.
      • FORMAT=1 — Displays the console data with time.
      • FORMAT=2 — Displays the console data with date and time.
      • FORMAT=3 — Displays the console data with date, time and message class.
      • FORMAT=4 — Displays the console data with time and message class.
      • FORMAT=5 — Displays the console data with message class.
    3. Issue the following command in the VIEWCON PROFILE file to control the display of the PF key information lines:
      SHOWPF=c[,h,xat,clr]
      Where c is one of the following options:
      • N — Do not display the PF key assignments on the screen.
      • Y — Display PF01–PF12 assignments on the screen.
      • A — Display PF01–PF24 assignments on the screen.
      The values for h,xat,clr are optional. If one of the values is specified, they must all be specified.
      • h — Specifies if the line is highlighted. Values are Y or N.
      • xat — Specifies the extended attributes applied to the line. Values are:
        • AAI — Leave as is
        • ABL — Blinking
        • ARV — Reverse video
        • AUL — Underline
      • clr — Specifies the color applied to the line. Values are:
        • CAI — Leave as is
        • CBL — Blue
        • CRE — Red
        • CPI — Pink
        • CGR — Green
        • CCY — Cyan
        • CYE — Yellow
        • CWH — White
    4. Issue the following command in the VIEWCON PROFILE file to control the location, sharing, and disposition of the contents passed to XEDIT:
      XEDITFM=m[n]

      where m is the file mode letter and n is the file mode number.

      • The minidisk/SFS accessed as m, must be R/W (read/write).
      • The file mode number may be any valid CMS file number. You can specify a file mode number of 3 and the file passed to XEDIT will be erased by XEDIT after reading the file. If you specify a file mode number of 3, you must use the SAVE/FILE XEDIT command to retain the file.

      The default is XEDITFM=A1.

    The following shows an example of what might be in a VIEWCON PROFILE file after customizing a PF key assignment, the initial date/time format, and the display of the PF keys:
    PF13=HELP
    FORMAT=1
    SHOWPF=Y,Y,AAI,CAI
  13. While using VIEWCON, you can also execute a z/VM or Operations Manager command by using EXCMD. Execute the EXCMD command with one of the following methods:
    • Press a function key that is assigned to EXCMD without any command on the command line. This invokes CMS SUBSET. To return to VIEWCON, use the CMS command return.
    • Press a function key that is assigned to EXCMD with a CMS command on the command line.

      When the command completes, if the command on the command line is not an Operations Manager command, you return to the originating VIEWCON command.

      When the command completes, if the command on the command line is an Operations Manager command, you return to the point that originated the VIEWCON command.

    • Assign EXCMD with a z/VM or Operations Manager command to a PF key in VIEWCON PROFILE. For example, PF19=EXCMD LISTFILE * * A or PF20=EXCMD GOMCMD OPMGRM1 VIEWLOG.

      When the command completes, if the command assigned to the PF key is not an Operations Manager command, you return to the originating VIEWCON command.

      When the command completes, if the command assigned to the PF key is an Operations Manager command, you return to the point that originated the VIEWCON command.