Printing from SDSF Panels

You can print output data, data from the Log or ULOG, or screen images. The print output can go to SYSOUT, a data set, or a print file (specified with a DDNAME).

After you submit a job, you can use SDSF to review the output and correct JCL errors. SDSF allows you to display printed output held in the JES spool area. You may find that you do not need to print much of the output sent to JES by batch jobs (and other jobs). Instead, you can inspect it using SDSF and delete or use it as needed.

Using the PRINT command

Using the PRINT command consists of three steps:

Open a print data set. You open the print data set to specify the target of the output, either SYSOUT, a DASD data set, or a pre-allocated ddname. This step is optional except when printing the screen. The default target is SYSOUT.
Print the data. You can print output data, log data and screens to the print data set.
Close the print data set. This step frees the SYSOUT data set and makes it available for printing (if printing to SYSOUT) or closes the data set or print file.

Consider the following examples of the PRINT command:

Example #1: Print an entire output data set to SYSOUT with default attributes (issued from the Output Data Set panel).
PRINT without any parameters opens a default SYSOUT data set if the print data set is not already open. On the Output Data Set panel, it also prints the entire data set.
```
PRINT
```
The number of lines printed is displayed at the top right of the panel. This means the listing has now been placed in the data set that you created.
```
PRINT CLOSE
```
At the top right of the panel, you should now see PRINT CLOSED.
Example #2: Save an output listing to a data set.
At the command input line, enter PRINT D to open a print data set panel and specify a data set name in which to save it.
```
PRINT D
```
Example #3: Open a new print data set with the default attributes.
ODSN specifies that a DASD data set will receive the output.
```
PRINT ODSN 'RPT2.PRINT' * NEW
```
Verify the data set you created. You can now return to SDSF and purge your listing because you now have a permanent copy.
Example #4: Print part of the SYSLOG to a preallocated data set.
MOD specifies that you want to append the data to a sequential data set. If the data set does not already exist, one is created.
```
PT ODSN SDSF.PRINT * MOD 
PT 06.00.00 04/15/2017 10.00.00 04/15/2017
PT CLOSE
```

Using the X action character

You can print the output of jobs, and checks for IBM Health Checker for z/OS, with the X action character.

As with the PRINT command, printing with the X action character involves three steps: opening a print data set, printing the data, and closing the print data set. You will probably find that he PRINT command and pop-ups provide more control.

You can print to SYSOUT, a data set, or a print file (specified with a ddname), with different forms of the X action character.

Consider the following forms:

X - Print the file.
XC - Print and close the file.
XD - Display the data set panel and print the file.
XDC - Display the data set panel, print and close the file.
XF - Display the ddname panel and print the file.
XFC - Display the ddname panel, print and close the file.
XS - Display the SYSOUT panel and print the file.
XSC - Display the SYSOUT panel, print and close the file.

Using panels to open a print data set

SDSF provides panels to open a print data set. For SYSOUT, the panel lets you specify class, copies, form, and destination. For a data set, the panel lets you allocate a new data set in addition to opening it.

Consider the following example of the SYSOUT panel:

 TS5536   TSU05294               SDSF Open Print                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
 Enter SYSOUT attributes below:                                                 
                                                                                
 Class        ===>           (A through Z, 0 through 9)                         
 Copies       ===>           (1 to 255)                                         
 Forms        ===>           **                                                 
 Destination  ===>                                                              
 FCB          ===>                                                              
 UCS          ===>                                                              
 Process Mode ===>           **                                                 
 Pagedef      ===>           **                                                 
 Formdef      ===>           **                                                 
                                                                                
 Output Descriptor Name ===>          (Omit with fields marked with **)         
 Writer name            ===>          **                                        
 Record format          ===> VBA                                                
 Record length          ===> 240                                                
 Use source attributes  ===>          (YES or NO)

To display the panels, use the commands or action characters shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Using Print Panels
To Open..	Command	Action Character
SYSOUT	PRINT S	XS or XSC
Data set	PRINT D	XD or XDC
DDNAME	PRINT F	XF or XFC

ANSI carriage control

The SDSF print function inserts ANSI carriage control, or converts machine carriage control if present to ANSI, unless:

You use the PRINT FILE command or the XF or XFC action character.
The data is page-mode. SYSOUT files containing both page-mode data and machine character data are not defined as page-mode in JES2.