Introduction to ISPF services

ISPF services help you develop interactive ISPF applications called dialogs. These services can make your job easier because they perform many tedious and repetitious operations. In addition, the ISPF services allow you to start a dialog in batch mode and let it run in the background while you work with another application in the foreground.

PDF component services communicate with the dialog through dialog variables. Thus, you can use PDF component services with DM component services. For information about DM component services and writing dialogs, refer to the z/OS V2R2 ISPF Dialog Developer's Guide and Reference.

You can also use PDF component services within edit macros, or you can use edit macros through the EDIT service. For information about writing edit macros, refer to z/OS V2R2 ISPF Edit and Edit Macros.