Browsing the system log with ISFLOG

You browse both the single-system SYSLOG and the sysplex-wide OPERLOG using the ISFLOG host environment command.

When used with the SYSLOG, the ISFLOG command processes the JES logical log.

The syntax of the ISFLOG command is as follows:


SYSLOG

>>-Address SDSF--"--ISFLOG--+-ALLOC-+--------------------------->
                            '-READ--'   

>--+-------------------------+--+--------------+--"------------><
   '-TYPE--(--+-SYSLOG--+--)-'  '-(--option--)-'      
              '-OPERLOG-'


OPERLOG

>>-Address SDSF--"--ISFLOG--READ--+---------------------+------->
                                  '-TYPE--(--OPERLOG--)-'   

>--+--------------+--"-----------------------------------------><
   '-(--option--)-'

ALLOC

indicates that the logical SYSLOG is to be allocated for use with a utility such as EXECIO. The allocation is done with the FREE=CLOSE option so that the file is automatically de-allocated when closed.

Use ALLOC with these special stem variables:

ISFDDNAME contains the ddname that is returned
ISFDSNAME contains the data set name that is returned

READ

indicates that the system log is to be read. The records are returned in the ISFLINE stem variable. ISFLINE.0 contains the number of variables.

By default, SDSF retrieves the records for the current day. You can customize the results with these special variables:

ISFLINELIM sets a limit on the number of variables created.
ISFLOGSTARTTIME, ISFLOGSTARTDATE, ISFLOGSTOPTIME and ISFLOGSTOPDATE define the date and time range for the records. Use them to ensure that your date and time range is reasonable, so that an excessive number of variables is not created.
When these special variables are used, SDSF positions the SYSLOG as near as possible to the requested record. However, due to the precision used for time stamps and the time the record is actually written to SYSLOG, it is possible that this may be several lines away from the desired record.
Variables that allow you to simulate scrolling through the data. These include ISFSCROLL, ISFSCROLLYPE, ISFNEXTLINETOKEN and ISFSTARTLINETOKEN.

For details on the special variables, refer to Special variables for use with the ISFLOG command.

TYPE(SYSLOG | OPERLOG)

is optional and names the type of system log to be used:

SYSLOG: specifies the single-system SYSLOG. Use the special variable ISFSYSID to indicate the member to be processed.
OPERLOG: specifies the sysplex-wide OPERLOG.

option

is optional. See Options for the ISFLOG command.

Use the special variable ISFSYSID to indicate the member to be processed.