Internal copy groups

An internal copy group is a copy group that you define within a print data set instead of within a form definition. You can use internal copy groups to dynamically change any of the functions controlled by a copy group without modifying the form definition. To use an internal copy group:

1. Define the copy group in the print data set, starting with a Begin Medium Map (BMM) structured field and ending with an End Medium Map (EMM) structured field.
2. Immediately follow the copy group definition with an Invoke Medium Map (IMM) structured field to call it.

You can define and call an internal copy group before the first page of data and between pages of data. Each time you want to call an internal copy group, you must define the copy group and follow it with an IMM structured field, even though you called the same internal copy group previously in the data set.

In any one print data set, PSF can use a combination of internal copy groups and copy groups defined within the form definition. PSF uses the internal copy group instead of one in the form definition if all of these conditions are met:

• The copy group is defined within the print data set.
• An IMM structured field immediately follows the copy group.
• The name of the copy group in the IMM structured field matches the name of the internal copy group that precedes it.

If these conditions are not met, PSF uses a copy group in the form definition, either the first copy group in the form definition or the copy group named in the IMM structured field.

Just as job submitters can specify JCL parameters to override values in copy groups in form definitions, job submitters can also override values in internal copy groups. For example, a job submitter can override the duplex option in all copy groups, including internal copy groups, by specifying the DUPLEX JCL parameter. Some JCL parameters, such as FLASH and COPIES group values, have special considerations depending on whether the copy group is found within a user-specified or system-default form definition. For these JCL parameters, PSF treats internal copy groups as if they were defined in a user-specified form definition. For more information about these JCL parameters, see Using FORMDEF with COPIES or FLASH parameters in JCL.