What is ISPF?

ISPF is a full panel application navigated by keyboard. ISPF includes a text editor and browser, and functions for locating and listing files and performing other utility functions.

After logging on to TSO, users typically access the ISPF menu. In fact, many use ISPF exclusively for performing work on z/OS®. ISPF menus list the functions that are most frequently needed by online users.

Figure 1 shows the allocate procedure to create a data set using ISPF.

Figure 1. Allocating a data set using ISPF panels

Menu  RefList  Utilities  Help
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allocate New Data Set
 Command ===>
Data Set Name  . . . : ZUSER.TEST.CNTL
Management class . . .                (Blank for default management class)
 Storage class  . . . .                (Blank for default storage class)
  Volume serial . . . . TEST01         (Blank for system default volume) **
  Device type . . . . .                (Generic unit or device address) **
 Data class . . . . . .                (Blank for default data class)
  Space units . . . . . TRACK          (BLKS, TRKS, CYLS, KB, MB, BYTES
                                        or RECORDS)
  Average record unit                  (M, K, or U)
  Primary quantity  . . 2              (In above units)
  Secondary quantity    1              (In above units)
  Directory blocks  . . 0              (Zero for sequential data set)*
  Record format . . . . F
  Record length . . . . 80
  Block size  . . . . .
  Data set name type  :                (LIBRARY, HFS, PDS, or blank)*
                                       (YY/MM/DD, YYYY/MM/DD
  Expiration date . . .                   YY.DDD, YYYY.DDD in Julian form
 Enter "/" to select option              DDDD for retention period in days
    Allocate Multiple Volumes            or blank)

( * Specifying LIBRARY may override zero directory block)

( ** Only one of these fields may be specified)
 F1=Help F2=Split F3=Exit F7=Backward F8=Forward F9=Swap F10=Actions F12=Cancel

Figure 2 shows the results of allocating a data set using ISPF panels.

Figure 2. Result of data set allocation using ISPF

Data Set Information
Command ===>

Data Set Name  . . . : ZUSER.TEST.CNTL

General Data                          Current Allocation
 Volume serial . . . : TEST01          Allocated tracks  . : 2
 Device type . . . . : 3390            Allocated extents . : 1
 Organization  . . . : PS
 Record format . . . : F
 Record length . . . : 80
 Block size  . . . . : 80             Current Utilization
 1st extent tracks . : 2               Used tracks . . . . : 0
 Secondary tracks  . : 1               Used extents  . . . : 0

 Creation date . . . : 2005/01/31
 Referenced date . . : 2005/01/31
 Expiration date . . : ***None***
 
 F1=Help F2=Split F3=Exit F7=Backward  F8=Forward   F9=Swap F12=Cancel

Figure 3 shows the ISPF menu structure.

Figure 3. ISPF menu structure

To access ISPF under TSO, the user enters a command such as ISPPDF from the READY prompt to display the ISPF Primary Option Menu.

Figure 4 shows an example of the ISPF Primary Menu.

Figure 4. ISPF Primary Option Menu

Menu Utilities Compilers Options  Status  Help
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           ISPF Primary Option Menu
Option ===>

0  Settings      Terminal and user parameters            User ID .: ZUSER
1  View          Display source data or listings         Time. . .: 17:29
2  Edit          Create or change source data            Terminal.: 3278
3  Utilities     Perform utility functions               Screen. .: 1
4  Foreground    Interactive language processing         Language.: ENGLISH
5  Batch         Submit job for language processing      Appl ID .: PDF
6  Command       Enter TSO or Workstation commands       TSO logon: IKJACCT
7  Dialog Test   Perform dialog testing                  TSOprefix: ZUSER
8  LM Facility   Library administrator functions         System ID: SC04
9  IBM Products  IBM program development products        MVS acct.: ACCNT#
10 SCLM          SW Configuration Library Manager        Release .: ISPF 5.2
11 Workplace     ISPF Object/Action Workplace
M  More          Additional IBM Products
 
Enter X to Terminate using log/list defaults
 
F1=Help F2=Split F3=Exit F7=Backward F8=Forward F9=Swap F10=Actions F12=Cancel

The ISPF panel can be customized with additional options by the local system programmer. Therefore, it can vary in features and content from site to site.

To reach the ISPF menu selections shown in Figure 5, you enter M on the option line.

Figure 5. More ISPF options displayed

Menu  Help
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             IBM Products Panel
                                                                 More:      + 
1  SMP/E         System Modification Program/Extended
2  ISMF          Integrated Storage Management Facility
3  RACF          Resource Access Control Facility
4  HCD           Hardware Configuration Dialogs
5  SDSF          Spool Search and Display Facility
6  IPCS          Interactive Problem Control System
7  DITTO         DITTO/ESA for MVS Version 1
8  RMF           Resource Measurement Facility
9  DFSORT        Data Facility Sort
10 OMVS          MVS OpenEdition
11 DB2           Data Base Products
12 RRS           Resource Recovery Services
13 DB2ADM        Data Base Admin Tool
14 QMF           Query Management Facility
15 MQ            WMQ Series Operations and Control
16 FMN           File Manager 3.1 Operations and Control
17 WLM           Workload Manager
18 PE            Performance Expert



Option ===> 9______________________________________________________________________
 F1=Help      F2=Split       F3=Exit       F7=Backward   F8=Forward    F9=Swap 
F10=Actions  F12=Cancel

In Figure 5, DFSORT™ is offered as option 9 on this panel. We will select it now as a useful example of the ISPF panel-driven applications.

Figure 6 shows the panel that would be displayed for option 9 of ISPF.

Figure 6. SORT panel

DFSORT PRIMARY OPTION MENU
ENTER SELECTION OR COMMAND ===>

SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

0  DFSORT PROFILE               - Change DFSORT user profile
1  SORT                         - Perform Sort Application
2  COPY                         - Perform Copy Application
3  MERGE                        - Perform Merge Application
X  EXIT                         - Terminate DFSORT

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USE HELP COMMAND FOR HELP; USE END COMMAND TO EXIT.

F1=HELP     F2=SPLIT    F3=END      F4=RETURN   F5=RFIND   F6=RCHANGE
F7=UP       F8=DOWN     F9=SWAP    F10=LEFT    F11=RIGHT  F12=CURSOR

The TSO sort function is available through ISPF as a menu-selectable option. Through the SORT option, the user can allow ISPF to handle the TSO allocations, create the SORT control statement, and call the SORT program to produce the results of the sort.

Notice the keyboard program function key (PF key) selections at the bottom of each panel; using PF3 (END) returns the user to the previous panel.

Although ISPF is a full panel application navigated by keyboard, you may download and install a variety of ISPF graphical user interface (GUI) clients to include with a z/OS system. After installing the ISPF GUI client, it is possible to use the mouse.