Service Control File

The service control file (SCF) describes a Program Temporary Fix (PTF). There is an SCF for each PTF. SCFs are built by the change team and shipped with the PTFs in the delta file of the Program Update Tape (PUT). The file name of the SCF is the PTF number and the file type must be SCF.

The service control file contains all the information needed to install a PTF. The following is an example of a service control file.

Figure 1. Example of a Service Control File (UV00006 SCF)

:ptf.UV00006
:prodid.5664175
:prereq.UV00005 UV00007
:coreq.UV00056.5748RC2
:sup.Z00002 Z00003
:changes.
 :element.DSIMNT TEXT
  :replace.TXTP0006
 :element.DSIXXX TEXT
  :replace.TXTP0004
 :element.DSIYYY TEXT
  :replace.TXTP0001
:echanges.
:apartext.PP00004 - Split DSIXXX for new base register
:apartext.PP00009 - Update loadlist to add DSINEW

Where:

:ptf.

is the PTF number. This number is the same as the file name of the SCF.

:prodid.

is the seven character product identifier. (You may also specify a one character suffix for the release or level of the product. This suffix is determined by the service group).

:prereq.

is the SCF file name of all PTFs that must be merged before you can merge the PTF specified on the :ptf. tag. During processing, if the prerequisite cannot be found, then processing ends.

If a prerequisite change is not for this product, the associated prodid must be specified as part of the PTF name on :prereq. tag. For example, ppppppp.prodid, where ppppppp is the PTF number within another product. A message is displayed by VMFMERGE telling you there is a prerequisite PTF for another product, specifically the product associated with the prodid listed on the :prereq. tag.

You can omit PRODID if the products are the same as for this PTF.

:coreq.

is the SCF file name of all PTFs that need to be merged together with this PTF.

If a corequisite change is not for this product, the same rules apply as with :prereq for specifying prodid. A message is displayed by VMFMERGE and VMFREMOV telling you there is a corequisite PTF for another product, specifically the product associated with the prodid listed on the :coreq. tag. As shown in the example above, the corequisite UV00056 is for product 5748RC2.

The maximum number of characters (including blanks) you can specify on a :coreq. tag is 256.

:sup.

are the PTFs or ZAPs that are no longer needed as a result of this PTF. Specifying this tag prevents superseded PTFs or ZAPs from being reapplied.

:changes.

indicates the beginning of the list of elements changed. The change list is a table with an entry for each element affected. Each element begins with an :element tag and ends with the next :element tag.

:element.

specifies the CMS file name and file type of an element defined or replaced by this PTF. A separate tag is coded for every element changed.

:replace.

specifies the CMS file type of an object replacement file for the associated element.

:echanges.

indicates the ending of the list of elements changed.

:apartext.

is an APAR number followed by a description of the problem reported by the APAR. The service group specifies this information.