Initialize and format the loader general file and online modules

You must initialize the loader general file before you can load system components to it. The system initialization process (SIP) creates the JCL to perform the initialization. The JCL uses z/OS® utility program ICKDSF to load IPLA and the volume ID (VOLID) to the general file. The JCL that is created by SIP is placed in the jcl/ directory of the hierarchical file system (HFS).

Note: If you have an existing loader general file and want to replace only the IPLA component, see Update IPLA on a loader general file.

Run the real-time disk formatter to format the general file and online modules. The real-time disk formatter (FMTR) prepares the general file and online modules to receive system components.

The JCL that is used to initialize and format the loader general file is produced by SIP and is placed in the HFS. If the root directory name is /home/joe/mywork and you built the BSS subsystem, the JCL will be placed in /home/joe/mywork/bss/jcl/lgffmt.jcl. Complete the following steps to format the loader general file:
  1. Update the JCL with any local job library information.
  2. The JCL references IPLA in the Linux® HFS that it was built in. You must change the referenced HFS to point to the binary mount HFS name, which contains IPLA, or you will need to move IPLA to a partitioned data set (PDS) and then reference that PDS.
  3. Submit the JCL.
The JCL that is used to initialize and format the online modules is produced by SIP and is placed in the HFS. If the root directory name is /home/joe/mywork and you built the BSS subsystem, the JCL will be placed in /home/joe/mywork/bss/jcl/fmtrdeck.jcl. Complete the following steps to format the online modules:
  1. Update the JCL with any local job library information.
  2. The JCL references IPLA in the Linux HFS that it was built in. You must change the referenced HFS to point to the binary mount HFS name, which contains IPLA, or you will need to move IPLA to a PDS and then reference that PDS.
  3. The JCL also references the format cards produced by the FACE table generator (fmta.mac, fmtb.mac, and so on). You will need to change the referenced HFS to the text mount HFS name where the format cards reside or you will need to move the format cards to a PDS and then reference that PDS.
  4. Submit the JCL for each of the online modules to be formatted.