Simulating variable substitution

You can use JCLPREPA arguments to perform trial substitutions, before normal substitution by IBM Z Workload Scheduler. You might need to do this, for example, if you use a product that checks JCL.

You can request partial or full simulation. For partial simulation, only nonpromptable setup variables are substituted. For full simulation:
  • Submit variables are substituted.
  • Nonpromptable setup variables are substituted.
  • Promptable setup variables are substituted using the default values. You must specify the defaults when calling PIF, otherwise no substitution takes place and the JCL might contain &, ?, and % characters.
  • PHASE=SETUP directives are returned to the caller, even though IBM Z Workload Scheduler only simulates submission.
  • You can supply a time value in the SIMTIME argument for IBM Z Workload Scheduler-supplied variables that contain a current time value. IBM Z Workload Scheduler uses the current time if you do not specify SIMTIME.
  • JCL is returned even if errors were found, except for the case when the JCL exceeds the JS size. Error and warning messages are inserted in the JCL.