START service

You can use the START service to start a dialog in a new logical screen. This function is similar to the function nesting made available with action bars except that the nesting occurs in a new logical screen.

You can invoke the START service in any of these ways:

  • From any command line, you can enter a command in this form: 
    START some_dialog
    some_dialog can be:
    • A command from the command table; for example, MYCMD1
    • A command with parameters (must be in quotes); for example, 'MYCMD1 PARM1'
    • A dialog invocation; for example, PANEL(MYPAN1), or 'PGM(MYPGM1) PARM(MYPARM1,MYPARM2)'
  • You can code a pull-down choice, 
    ACTION RUN(START) PARM(some_dialog)
    where some_dialog is the same as previously outlined.
  • You can code a selection panel option, 
    'PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(some_dialog)'
    For example, 
    &ZSEL = TRANS(&XX
         0,'PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(PGM(MYPGM0))'
         1,'PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(PGM(MYPGM1) PARM(MYPARM1))'
         2,'PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(MYCMD1 MYPARM2)'
         3,'PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(PANEL(MYPANEL1))'
  • From a dialog, you can invoke, 
    ISPEXEC SELECT PGM(ISPSTRT) PARM(some_dialog)
    where some_dialog is the same as previously described.
Note:
  1. The some_dialog must not exceed 249 characters. It will be truncated at 249 without warning.
  2. Do not use either WSCMD or WSCMDV in your specification of some_dialog.
  3. For ISPF functions that have service interfaces, such as EDIT and BROWSE, you should use the service invocations. Using ISPSTRT passing the selection strings from panel ISR@PRIM does not work in all situations and is not supported.

If the maximum number of logical screens do not exist when the START command is invoked and:

  • some_dialog is a command from the command table, the new screen is invoked with the default initial command (in non-display mode) and the command is run. When the user ends the dialog this new screen still exists.
  • if some_dialog is specified as PGM(xxx), CMD(xxx), or PANEL(xxx), the new screen is invoked with PGM(xxx), CMD(xxx), or PANEL(xxx) as the initial command, program, or panel. The result is that when you end the xxx dialog, this new screen is terminated.

If the maximum number of logical screens has already been reached when the START command is invoked, the specified some_dialog is executed on top of the currently displayed screen. The result is that when you end the dialog, ISPF returns to the previously displayed screen.

On 3270 displays, if ISPF is not in split screen mode the START command and ISPSTRT program split the screen at the top or bottom line of the display. If ISPF is already in split screen mode, ISPF starts the new screen in the opposite screen, using the existing split line location.