Writing a command processor

TSO/E provides commands that you can use to perform a wide variety of tasks. For example, you can use TSO/E commands to define and maintain data sets, and write and test programs.

You can write command processors to replace or add to this set of commands. By writing your own command processors, your installation can add to or modify TSO/E to better suit the needs of its users.

A command processor is a program that is given control by the terminal monitor program (TMP) when a user at a terminal enters a command name. The TMP provides an interface between terminal users and command processors and has access to many system services.

If you choose to write your own command processors, you can use the command processors and service routines provided by TSO/E to perform many of the functions required by a command processor. The programming services available in TSO/E consist of service routines, macros, SVCs and CLISTs, and are discussed in z/OS TSO/E Programming Services.

Writing a command processor of this document contains several chapters that describe what you must do to write, install, execute and test a . command processorWhat is a command processor? presents the concepts and terminology that you must understand before you read the later chapters. Writing a command processor outlines the steps to follow when writing a and refers you to later chapters for the details of each step. Read all of command processorWhat is a command processor? and Writing a command processor and then selectively read the subsequent chapters.