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Why do I get "A command entered or contained in a clist has invalid syntax." invoking the FTP command using the ISPF SELECT service?

Question & Answer


Question

After going to z/OS 2.1, I get the message "A command entered or contained in a clist has invalid syntax." when I invoke the FTP command using the ISPF SELECT service. What's going on?

Answer

If FTP was set as an authorized command then it has to be added to the AUTHCMD and AUTHPGM tables per the FTP documentation. With ISPF any authorized command needs to be added to the AUTHTSF table as well since ISPF uses IKJEFTSR to invoke authorized commands. If this was done and the SELECT CMD is in a REXX exec using a PUSH to provide input to the FTP command, then APAR PI09301 is needed for FTP. In addition the SELECT service should use the NEST parameter. For instance:

/ REXX /
address "ISPEXEC"
wkstn = abc.ibm.com
push wkstn
"SELECT CMD(FTP) NEST"
say rc

With the PI09301 APAR applied the FTP code uses a technique that requires using the NEST parameter to avoid ISPF putting a barrier element on the stack when the FTP command is run. This allows FTP to then READ the data stack.

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSBLLD","label":"ISPF for z\/OS"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF035","label":"z\/OS"}],"Component":"","Version":"","Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
01 September 2015

UID

dwa1211402