Re: Check out BBC News - Celebrating Colossus, the codebreaking computer

[Clement Clarke]

The article also refers to an English Electric Leo computer, which was 
the first commercial computer in the world.


I used to program the Leo's during the 1960's at Shell, in Melbourne.

The languages were Assembler and an interesting language called CLEO, 
which was a bit like COBOL.


It was a multiprogramming machine (yes, way back then!).  It could run 4 
programs at once, I think.


It also had a most unusual instruction that allowed you to multiply 
Pounds, Shillings and Pence by a number in ONE hardware instruction.  If 
you have any understanding of the British system of money at that time, 
you'll marvel at that .


The Brits (and we Aussies) didn't have anywhere near the amount of money 
that Americans had, and so we had to make really tight software to run 
in really limited machines.


Mind you, the IBM 65 we got to replace the LEO's had PL/I which would 
run in a 64K partition, and that was what Shell used for all commercial 
work then.  The old PL/I Optimiser compiler was/is a magnificent compiler.


Cheers,

Clem

Ed Finnell wrote:

_BBC News -  Celebrating Colossus, the codebreaking computer_
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17237494)

Some good links if you're so inclined.

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN

Jol - JCL Replacement Language - was JCL "sheesh!" for today

[Clement Clarke]

Would you like a free format language, similar to PL/i?

Like full arithmetic and IF testing on Symbolic Variables?

Like to be able to have inline card image files, and be able to replace 
symbolic parameters in them to dynamically create specialized control cards?


Like to have your job checked for all data set availability before it 
starts? (No Not Found messages)


Like 3,000 characters as parameter fields?

Like the ability to actually create new user friendly commands for your 
users to use?


Like to make Z/OS MUCH easier to use, and easier to sell?

Like to be able to submit jobs every Monday? But not Monday the 31st?

Like to have run the job under TSO, or submit it to Batch - unchanged?

Like to have a Windows or OS/2 program make the JCL off line and submit 
to Z/OS?


And MUCH more.

Check out Jol at http://jol.oscar-jol.com/

And I'll answer some of the posts with a Jol solution over the next few 
days.


Cheers,

Clem Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: CORRUPT PDS - I/O ERROR

[Clement Clarke]

The DCB coded in the program over-rides everything.

If a data set has VB 133, 1330 and the program has FB 80,800 and opens 
it for either input or output, the DSCB will be changed to that coded in 
the program.


It's always been that way. (Except the Fujitsu equivalent MSP Operating 
system put out warnings, or optionally wouldn't let you change certain 
attributes.)


Cheers,

Clem



CM Poncelet wrote:

Rick Fochtman wrote:

 



I'm afraid I disagree. 



Because you are confusing the DSCB with the blocks written in the
dataset.


We are arguing semantics ...



-- 


NOT HARDLY!

 



What it proves is not that the DCB on DASD was overwritten by the 
one in the JCL, but that the DCB in the JCL was 
incorrect/incompatible with the one on DASD.




Why would you get an I/O error if the DCB information on the DD
statement did not take precedence over that in the DSCB?

Why would a square peg not fit in a round hole if the round hole did 
not take precedence over the square peg?



 

If the attributes in the JCL are equally wrong, you'll still get that 
I/O error. 


... because the DCB on DASD takes precedence over any coded in the JCL 
or in the program, in that order. The DCB attributes on DASD have the 
'final say' in whether an input I/O will complete successfully. That a 
program can populate its own DCB from the JCL's DCB attributes, and 
then open it for input *before* having to deal with the real DCB on 
DASD, is irrelevant if the JCL DCB's attibutes are inconsistent with 
those of the physical dataset on DASD. It is the physical dataset's 
DCB attributes on DASD, and not those of the DCB opened by the 
program, which determine whether the I/O is successful. If those of 
the program's opened DCB do not match those of the physical dataset on 
DASD, the I/O fails - because the DCB on DASD 'overrides' (or 'takes 
precedence over' etc.) the DCB in the program when it is opened for 
input and the program then issues a read.


Much of this 'discussion' has been akin to arguing that a bridge made 
of string and bamboo was correctly designed because, when a car tried 
to cross over it, the bridge broke and the car fell into the ravine 
... and the car could not possibly have fallen into the ravine if the 
bridge had not been hanging across it in the first place - "QED".





Read up on the handling and formats of FIXED vs. VARIABLE vs. 
UNDEFINED records. What you apperantly don't know CAN hurt you! 


I don't need to be distracted by reading other people's opinions when 
I can think for myself. What I don't know can indeed hurt me - but 
what I know can't.


Cheers, Chris




Rick



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Our technical papers

[Clement Clarke]

Where's the Like button in this newsgroup? :-)

Thanks Steve.

Clem

Steve Comstock wrote:

A few people have pointed out to me that the papers on
our website that I said were 'not printable' are, in fact,
printable under certain pdf reader programs: they don't
honor the print security.

Sigh.

So, what I have done is gone and made all the papers on
our main technical papers page officially printable.

  http://www.trainersfriend.com/General_content/Book_site.htm


It didn't seem right to make people who use the official
tools (Acrobat reader in this case) have to pay while people
who used other tools didn't. So now everyone is on the same
setting.


We still have four papers that have supporting files available
for the person who wants to try out the techniques described
in these papers, and these files are only available in our
Trainer's Friend Store for a nominal fee.

At the same time I have put an option in our store for people
to make a contribution / donation to support development and
improvement of these papers. If some paper has helped you or
your organization, it would be a nice gesture to give back a
little. So, think about it.




--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: APF and the initiator (IEFIIC)

[Clement Clarke]

Hi Alan,

It is possible that looking at the source code of some programs I wrote 
recently to allow 3,000 character parameter fields, and to create 
control cars with Symbolic Parameters inserted might be of interest.


The LONGPARM program uses the same ATTACH that the next generation of 
JCL language (Jol) uses. It might be of some assistance to you - similar 
code was used for some decades without a problem.


It's on the CBT Tape number 839.

***FILE 839 is from Clement Clarke and contains programs to
*   allow for long PARM fields and symbolic parameter
*   substitution in card image format control cards.

Cheers,

Clem Clarke


Starr, Alan wrote:

Hi List,

The subject of an APF-authorized program invoking a program that runs 
non-APF-authorized has been discussed many times here. The admonishment not to 
turn JSCBAUTH on, after having turned it off, has been repeated many times.

I wonder how the initiator manages to invoke PGM=apfpgm (APF-authorized) and 
then PGM=nonapf (not APF-authorized) for a subsequent step or job. Does it, for 
example, turn on JSCBAUTH in the ATTACHed program's (job step) JSCB? Does 
anybody know the sequence of events and/or what the ATTACH(X) invocations look 
like?

Cheers,
Alan


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Making Z/OS easier - Effectively replacing JCL with Unix like commands

[Clement Clarke]

Thanks for all the questions.  I'll put the questions and answers 
together for convenience.


Paul Gilmartin wrote:

On Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:35:30 +1000, Clement Clarke wrote:

Isn't much of this what SMS is designed to do nowadays?
You can still use SMS.  Jol uses a simple VSAM file to store the 
information in. It's easy to add or change information.

Do I understand two separate modes of operation, dynamic
and generative?
Yes.  It can generate JCL, or use Dynamic Allocation to run the job in 
Batch, or immediately under TSO.



Does it provide en masse enqueues as JCL does, to avoid
deadlocks?  I suppose this would be intrinsic in a generative
mode.
In Dynamic Allocation mode, there is still some JCL generated to ensure 
this.


In TSO (Immediate mode), it is on a program by program basis.

There is also an Enque instruction which you can use to enque on any 
resource.

How does it interface with JES3 setup processing?
It has instructions to interface with JES3. You can also put any JCL 
statement out as part of the generated JCL.


And there is an extremely flexible Macro language you can use to create 
new English style commands. These commands can effectively do anything 
from running programs in the compiler phase, or have them run at 
execution time. Or even generate JCL card images.

In a dynamic mode, are there any restrictions on running
APF-authorized programs?  Must the interpreter be APF-
authorized?
There is a Jol Execution Monitor.  It must be APF authorized to allow 
authorized programs to run. It uses the same style of ATTACH that the 
Initiator uses.


It also allows Jol to put all important information on the Job Log.  So, 
for example, all Catalog and Delete statement results can be found in 
one place, instead of having to hunt through the JCL listing.

Ia it portable?  In at least a generative mode, can it run
on a non-z platform?  I keep much of my JCL as here-
documents (in-stream files) in self-tailoring shell scripts
on a Solaris platform (could be z/OS Unix except for
performance and flexibility).

There are two main versions.  The Mainframe version written in Assembler.

The PC version is written in C. It will execute on Windows and generate 
Mainframe JCL to submit.


The Linux version is 99% complete.

And does it address more of the recurrent JCL complaints:

o PARM>100 characters?

Parameters can be up to 3,000 characters in length.

o In-stream data sets in procedures?  (Ah!  that's coming in
   z/OS 1.13.)?
Instream data is supported.  Not only that - substitution of Symbolic 
Parameters may be done in the "card" image files to generate utility 
control cards.


And we can use Allocate, Read and Write instructions for any data set at 
Compile Time.  Data can be read directly into Symbolic Variables, and 
tested and manipulated with IF and SET instructions. This facility is 
used, for example, in the SAVESYMS command which saves specified 
Symbolic Variables in a file that can be accessed by another job to 
created a tailored job stream depending on what the first job did.


There is also a Panel instruction that is used to display full screen 
data entry panels, complete with Menu Bars and Pulldown lists. User data 
entered is stored in Symbolic Variables, and can be used as any other 
Symbolic Variable - tested, added to others, and so on.

o Substitution of dynamic system symbols?
Substitution of  Symbolic Parameters.  Jol automatically sets various 
symbols up such as the current day and so on. Symbolic variables can be 
tested, set or used in arithmetic. For example:


If %day = 'Monday' then
Copy Input.Data.Set to Backup.ofMainFile.%day;   /* Note %day in 
Dsname */


User exits can also create any symbols you require.  Exits can be 
written in Assembler or PL/I.

o Symbol substitution in in-stream data sets?

Yes. For example:
Declare X * replace;
This is a card image file.
Today is %year,%month,%day
EOF;

-- gil


Thanks again,

Clem Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Making Z/OS easier - Effectively replacing JCL with Unix like commands

[Clement Clarke]

All Operating Systems run Programs, use Data Sets or Files, and have 
some sort of Command Language.


If Z/OS Users didn't have to be concerned about DCB, SPACE and so on, 
then they could write JCL that was very similar to Unix or Linux.


If all that information is stored in a Data Base of Data Sets, then it 
would be quite possible to allocate new data sets when necessary, and 
hide all the normal JCL information from the User.


All we would have to do is remember which order to put the file names 
in, and have a program get all the DCB etc information for output data 
sets, and either dynamically allocate them, or generate JCL for them.


And so, you could write a Script that looked something like this:

__
Payroll: Job class C Size 1000 k name c.clarke 10,3 mins acct payroll;

Validate:
Exec PayValid
   Printer
   Input.Trans, Trans.Action(+1); /* Validate Transations */
if Validate=0
then do;
   Sort Trans.Action(+1) to Sorted.Trans.Action(+1)
  Fields=(10,10,CH,A);
Update:
   Exec PayUpd
  Printer
  Payroll.Master(0), Sorted.Trans.Action(+1),
  Payroll.Master(+1);
   If Update = 0
   then do;
 Catalog Payroll.Master(+1), Sorted.Trans.Action(+1);
 Backup  Payroll.Master(+1), Sorted.Trans.Action(+1);
 Submit Job2;
   end;
end;
else Stop 'Error in PAYROLL Job';


Such a program exists.  It is called Jol.

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Obtaining System Information from a COBOL program

[Clement Clarke]

Most control blocks haven't changed in 40 years.  Sure, new ones get 
added every decade or so, however, I think you'll be pretty safe!


Can you imagine all the code that IBM would have to change if they moved 
or changed the odd control block?


Clem Clarke
Author, Jol - the easy alternative to JCL



Haynes, Stan wrote:

Interestingly, this is something being discussed in our shop right now. We have 
an application with code that extracts a DSN by searching through the TIOT, in 
order to perform some security check. We (z/OS support division) fear that this 
user code is vulnerable to changes in z/OS control block layout, with the 
possibility of having one of your LOB (Line Of Business) apps down. The app 
people even asked if IBM would warn them of such cblock changes:

"Has IBM ever remapped the MVS Control blocks that a batch application program 
accesses?
Will IBM ever remap the MVS Control blocks that a batch application program 
will access?
How safe would it be for COBOL application code to access these MVS Control 
Blocks?"

We know IBM doesn't provide COBOL code mapping the TIOT, so we believe it's 
possible for an application to be unexpectedly crippled by a subtle z/OS 
control block change, with management asking for delays (and/or back out) of 
the latest z/OS rollout.

Shouldn't every effort be made to insulate appl code from the OS ? I fear the 
day wil come when we'll have to forward the SMP APPLY CHECK listing to all 
application programmers.

Do your shop(s) have a policy of sorts when it comes to accessing such data 
(outside of any LE service) ?


Stan
Canada Revenue Agency
mailto:stan.hay...@cra-arc.gc.ca
(613) 941-8091


-Original Message-
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of 
Giliad Wilf
Sent: June 23, 2011 8:43 AM
To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: Obtaining System Information from a COBOL program

On Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:36:13 -0500, Daniel Rose
wrote:

   

I had a COBOL programmer ask me how they could get the LPAR name,
 

SYSNAME,
   

or SMFSID from a COBOL program.  I could not find a LE Function that would
do that.  So, a co-worker located a sample program that chases controls to
get that information.

Does anybody know of any LE Functions or a cleaner way to do this.

BTW, the programmer does not want to add a SORT step before the COBOL
program nor do they want to change the execution JCL.  Hence the restriction
of only obtaining this from inside the COBOL program.

 
   


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

OT? - A Windows Program - based on HASP? - Dynamic Dispatching Priority

[Clement Clarke]

A bit off-topic.  But hopefully useful.

If you use Windows for any real work, this program which seems to add a 
desperately needed facility to alter the dispatching priority dynamically.


Of course, IBM Mainframes had a program similar to this back in the 
'60s.  It was part of HASP, and was called Dynamic Dispatching Priority.


It made a HUGE difference to the way the computers worked then.  It made 
the work really flow through the computer much, much faster.


I was going to write a program like this for Windows myself - however, I 
am delighted that someone else finally has.


Some people say "it is a keeper".  If it changes the way your Windows 
computer works to anything like mainframes, it shouldn't just be a 
keeper.  It needs to be put in Windows and Linux permanently!



If you are quick, you can download it and use it for free:

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Or here from the publisher's website:
http://www.bitsum.com/


Clem Clarke

From the site:


 Giveaway of the Day - Process Lasso v5

___

Process Lasso is NOT yet another task manager; it is a process 
optimization and automation utility. One of Process Lasso's most popular 
features is a unique technology called ProBalance (Process Balance) 
 that will 
improve your PC's responsiveness and stability. Windows, by design, 
allows programs to monopolize your CPU without sufficient restraint -- 
leading to hangs and micro-lags. ProBalance intelligently adjusts the 
priorities of running programs on-demand so that badly behaved processes 
won't negatively impact the responsiveness of your PC. It does this not 
by raising process priorities, but instead by temporarily lowering the 
priorities of background processes that may be interfering with 
foreground responsiveness.


In addition to ProBalance, there are countless features allowing the 
user to take full automated control of the processes on their PC. You 
can have a wide range operations performed, or settings applied, each 
time a process is run. You can choose at what priority processes should 
run, and which CPUs should be assigned to them. You can also disallow 
certain processes from running, log all processes run, automatically 
restart processes when they terminate or reach a resource consumption 
threshold, limit the number of instances, and much more. You can even 
indicate processes that should induce entrance into the High Performance 
power scheme and/or prevent the PC from sleeping. A gaming mode allows 
for easy process priority optimization for avid gamers.


Once you install Process Lasso, it'll just start working. More advanced 
users can tweak the configuration, but you needn't touch anything to 
have it instantly improve your system responsiveness and prevent stalls 
in high load situations.


Version 5 adds many features, including I/O priorities (default and 
current), Default Power Schemes, HyperThreaded Core Avoidance, Automated 
Updates, and much more.


Visit the product page for more info, free downloads, and purchasing 



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: We list every company in the world that has a mainframe computer

[Clement Clarke]

I sincerely hope that there are more than the 400 odd sites/companies 
listed!


Else ... bye bye mainframe?


The mainframe needs to be much easier to use.  Which is what Jol does.

Clem Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Retired

[Clement Clarke]

Joel Ewing wrote:
Unless IBM were to suddenly change philosophy and do something that 
would make environments that support Systems Programming on z/OS 
available to casual individual users at a price that doesn't impact a 
middle class budget, my expertise will soon be only historical.


IBM won't do anything unless they can see a dollar in it.  It is a bit 
like we humans not helping the environment and destroying it, even 
though we know we need it to provide oxygen so we can continue to live.  
Z/OS has a huge number of people who recognize it is a superb 
environment, however there is no way we can contribute.  It will die, 
and it will be IBM's fault.


There is always Hercules, and MVS of course.  Which is the only way I 
can continue to develop Jol - which solves most of the problems with JCL 
that I have seen people talk about for 40 years.  And the LONGPARM 
program and replace Symbolic Parameter in Card File utility I released 
in the CBT tapes recently.


Hopefully, IBM will wake up and support the Z/OS environment, before it 
is too late.


Clem Clarke
Author Jol - the JCL Replacement free format language

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Second Reference to Temporary Data Set Fails

[Clement Clarke]

Yes, that's correct.

Jol fixes all that sort of thing up automatically for you.

Clem

Schwarz, Barry A wrote:

It was explained to me a long time ago by someone who used to read the 
microfiche that when a dataset is found in the Pass Queue, it is removed from 
the queue.  The work around (from foggy memory) was to add a VOL=REF=*.xx 
(SYSUT1 in your example) to any subsequent DD statements.

-Original Message-
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of 
Edward Jaffe
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 6:15 PM
To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu
Subject: Second Reference to Temporary Data Set Fails

Obviously, IANFJE (I ain't no friggin JCL expert). But, it seems to me that this
should work:

//JCLERROR JOB ...
//AGMLENU  EXEC PGM=IEFBR14
//GML  DD  DSN=&&GML,UNIT=SYSALLDA,
// RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=0,
// DISP=(NEW,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(1,1,1))
//IGMLENU  EXEC PGM=IEBUPDTE,PARM=NEW
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUT1   DD DSN=&&GML,DISP=(OLD,PASS)
//SYSUT2   DD DSN=&&GML,DISP=(OLD,PASS)
//SYSINDD DATA,DLM='^%'
./ ADD NAME=NAME1
DATA
^%
//

It fails with:

IEF212I JCLERROR IGMLENU SYSUT2 - DATA SET NOT FOUND

If it can find the data set for SYSUT1, then why can't it find it for SYSUT2? It
works fine when a normal cataloged data set is used. It fails only with a
temporary data set. We can't find this restriction documented.

--
Edward E Jaffe
Phoenix Software International, Inc
831 Parkview Drive North
El Segundo, CA 90245
310-338-0400 x318
edja...@phoenixsoftware.com
http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

   


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Long Parameters, Symbolic Replacement and Control Cards

[Clement Clarke]

Shmuel Metz (Seymour J.) wrote:

In, on
10/16/2010
at 12:23 AM, Clement Clarke  said:

   

Standard APF facilities are used, so Authorised or Non-Authorised
programs may be used.
 

What are you trying to say? Do you mean that you will invoke
unauthorized programs as authotized, or do you mean that you ATTACH
the program as a jobstep with RSAPF=YES?

   
Yes, the programs are attached as a jobstep.  You can, of course, place 
it in an NON-authorised library, and so it won't be able to run 
authorised programs at all.


The files have been uploaded to cbttape.org. All the source code is 
there.  And examples.


File # 839 Long Parameters in EXEC - JCL symbolic substitution 
<http://cbttape.org/ftp/updates/CBT839.zip>*NEW*



Enjoy the longer parameters...  And the Symbolic Parameter Replacement 
in "card" or control files.


Clem

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Long Parameters, Symbolic Replacement and Control Cards

[Clement Clarke]

A number of people in this newsgroup have wanted long parameters and 
symbolic parameter replacement in card image control cards.


The following programs are now available that will allow the above to 
happen, using conventional JCL or TSO.


1. EXECLONG will execute a program with up to 3,000 bytes as a parameter.
2. PARMCNTL creates either Fixed or Variable blocked control file from a 
Parameter, or other control file.
3. SAVEPARM saves parameters into a VB file which is used by EXECLONG 
and/or PARMCNTL above.


Further Description:

1. EXECLONG executes the program specified with the PARM='PGM=program-name'.

It first reads a VB file allocated with a DDNAME of $$PARM, and creates 
a standard parameter of up to 3,000 bytes.
Standard APF facilities are used, so Authorised or Non-Authorised 
programs may be used.


2. PARMCNTL creates either FB or VB control files from either the VB 
$$PARM file.


PARMCNTL creates a file using the $$CNTL file.  It either takes it's 
input from the parameter field, or, if that is null, it reads from the 
$$PARM file.


New control cards are created on finding a LF (X'25') character, or .

3. SAVEPARM appends it's parameter to the VB $$PARM file.  Symbolic 
parameters may be used in the PGM PARM field, and hence can be used by 
the PARMCNTL program to create control files with symbolic parameters 
replaced.



Examples.

1. Execute a program with a long parameter:

//EXEC01  EXEC PGM=SAVEPARM,
// PARM='Start of a long parameter.  It can have symbolics, too. '
//$$PARMZ   DD  DSN=&&PARM,DCB=(RECFM=VB,LRECL=255,BLKSIZE=3200),
//  UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,10),
//  DISP=(NEW,PASS)
//EXEC02EXEC PGM=SAVEPARM,
// PARM='This is the second part of the long parameter.'
//$$PARMDD  DSN=&&PARM, DISP=(OLD,PASS)
//*
//EXEC03EXEC PGM=EXECLONG,
// PARM='PGM=xyz'
//$$PARMDD  DSN=&&PARM, DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
This executes program xyz, with the parameters formed from the $$PARM file.

2. Create Control card from parameters.

Note the use of the Symbolic in the Parm Field.  And the  acts as a 
Line Feed when creating the control cards.

//EXEC02  EXEC PGM=PARMCNTL,
// PARM='Control Card1Control Card2Password=&PASS.'
//$$CNTL   DD  DSN=&&CNTL,DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=3200),
// UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,10),
// DISP=(NEW,PASS)
//EXEC03   EXEC PGM=FTP
//SYSINDD  DSN=&&CNTL, DISP=(OLD,DELETE)

Note that if the control cards need more than 100 characters that are 
allowed in the conventional program parameter field, we can use the 
SAVEPARM program repeatedly to create up to 3,000 characters of text, 
which then can be used by the PARMCNTL program to create many Control cards.


For more information, please email me at:
clemcla...@gmail.com

Hope this is helpful,

Clem Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: instream data

[Clement Clarke]

Chris Mason wrote:

Frank

You'll be wanting symbol substitution in the instream data next!

That actually was I wanted to help me manage for my test/education systems
where I did a great deal of work at the (VM) console. I just wanted to be able
to set up started task procedures in order to do all sorts of operations without
having to bother to start up TSO. This often meant setting up procedures
calling utility programs which - since time immemorial - make that the mid-
'60s - have used much of the time trivial statements in a SYSIN data set.



... text deleted
You might like to look at Declaring Card Files in Jol here:
http://tinyurl.com/22jz7vj


You can also use any Symbolic Variable is a card image file - it will 
get replaced by the current value of the Symbolic.  When the program 
reads the card file at execution time, it will read the data with 
Symbolic replaced.


There are also some predefined Symbolics that you can use in Jol.  Some 
of these are:


*Jol Automatically Initialized Symbolic Variables*


Variable   Explanation

%SYSDATE   The current date in Julian format e.g. 86290

%DAY   MONDAY, TUESDAY, etc.

%MONTH JANUARY, FEBRUARY, etc.

%MONTHNO   01, 02 Through 12

%DAYNO 01 through 31

%YEAR  1987, 1988, etc.

%HOURS 0 through 23

%MINS  0 through 59

%SECS  0 through 59

%SYSUIDSystem user identification

%SYSPREF   Dataset Prefix or Current Directory

%SYSPFKProgram function key number from PANELs

%SYSTEMMVS, DOS, VM, PC, UNIX etc.

%SPOOL HASP, ASP, JES1, JES2, JES3, or Blank

%TSOCLASS Contains the SYSOUT class used by TSO to
  retrieve output from a background job


Cheers,

Clem

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: instream data

[Clement Clarke]

Frank Swarbrick wrote:

Now that we've been on z/OS for a few weeks I feel to need to ask a question that has 
annoyed me since I started working on z/OS two years ago.  Instream datasets are good.  
Why are they not supported inside of procs?  Is there a technical reason, or is it just 
"because"?  We use procs for almost all of our production jobs, with many steps 
that could take advantage of instream datasets if not for this restriction.

Thanks,
Frank



For over 40 years, Jol has allowed you to do just that.

Jol is a free format JCL replacement language, loosely based on PL/I.

You can declare Data Sets and Programs, and use commands such as Run (a 
program) or Copy a data set and so on.


Jol comes with the ability to declare "card" files in Jol Procedures or 
in Macros (which allow you to add new instructions to Jol in a high 
level language).


Furthermore, you can replace Symbolic Parameters or Variables in card 
image files to create Utility Control Statements and so on.


This example used predefined Symbolic Variables of %DAYNO, %MONTHO and 
%YEAR to place the current date in a control card.


  DCL CONTROL * REPLACE;
%DAYNO%MONTHNO%YEAR
EOF;

PRINT CONTROL;  /* Copy card to printer */

These statements create a Data Set Identifier (DSID) called CONTROL 
which will have:-


Columns   Data

1-2 day number, e.g. 09
3-4  month number, e.g. 07
5-8  year number, e.g. 2009

For example:

09072009

This control file can be used by a program to print headings on a report.

You can see more here:
For over 40 years, Jol has allowed you to do just that.

Jol is a free format JCL replacement language, loosely based on PL/I.

You can declare Data Sets and Programs, and use commands such as Run (a 
program) or Copy a data set and so on.


Jol comes with the ability to declare "card" files in Jol Procedures or 
in Macros (which allow you to add new instructions to Jol in a high 
level language).


Furthermore, you can replace Symbolic Parameters or Variables in card 
image files to create Utility Control Statements and so on.


This example used predefined Symbolic Variables of %DAYNO, %MONTHO and 
%YEAR to place the current date in a control card.


  DCL CONTROL * REPLACE;
%DAYNO%MONTHNO%YEAR
EOF;

PRINT CONTROL;  /* Copy card to printer */

These statements create a Data Set Identifier (DSID) called CONTROL 
which will have:-


Columns   Data

1-2 day number, e.g. 09
3-4  month number, e.g. 07
5-8  year number, e.g. 2009

For example:

09072009

This control file can be used by a program to print headings on a report.

You can see more here:
http://tinyurl.com/22jz7vj


Cheers,

Clem

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: JCL MISTERY (for me)

[Clement Clarke]

I'd like to suggest that you change the SORTOUT in ST2 to 
Disp=(old,pass), or Mod,Pass.  It depends if you want the data added to 
the first output file, or replaced.  In fact, because the first step 
won't create any records, it won't make any difference.



Clem Clarke
Author:  Jol, the JCL Replacement Language


Vernooij, CP - SPLXM wrote:


"gnalu"  wrote in message
news:
...
   

Can somebody explain why the temporary dataset is empty in the last
ST3 step ?
I would like to obtain the record written is ST2, not the null from
the ST1.

//ST1 EXEC PGM=SORT,PARM='NULLOUT=RC4'
//SYSOUT  DD SYSOUT=*
//SORTIN  DD *
//SORTOUT DD DISP=(,PASS),DSN=&&TMPFILE,DCB=*.SORTIN,SPACE=(TRK,1)
  OPTION COPY

//ST2 EXEC PGM=SORT,PARM='NULLOUT=RC4'
//SYSOUT  DD SYSOUT=*
//SORTIN  DD *
RECORD1
//SORTOUT DD DISP=(,PASS),DSN=&&TMPFILE,DCB=*.SORTIN,SPACE=(TRK,1)
  OPTION COPY

//ST3 EXEC PGM=SORT,PARM='NULLOUT=RC4'
//SYSOUT  DD SYSOUT=*
//SORTIN   DD DISP=(OLD,DELETE),DSN=&&TMPFILE
//SORTOUT  DD SYSOUT=*
  OPTION COPY

Regards
Bernard Coeytaux
 

You create 2 TMPFILE files and then you say: give me TMPFILE and you
should not be surprised the system does not pick the one you intended.
Give them different names.

Kees.

Ps. This newsgroup is a mirror of a listserver, where most of the
IBM-MAIN population resides. See the information automagically added at
the bottom.
**
For information, services and offers, please visit our web site:
http://www.klm.com. This e-mail and any attachment may contain
confidential and privileged material intended for the addressee
only. If you are not the addressee, you are notified that no part
of the e-mail or any attachment may be disclosed, copied or
distributed, and that any other action related to this e-mail or
attachment is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have
received this e-mail by error, please notify the sender immediately
by return e-mail, and delete this message.

Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij NV (KLM), its subsidiaries
and/or its employees shall not be liable for the incorrect or
incomplete transmission of this e-mail or any attachments, nor
responsible for any delay in receipt.
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (also known as KLM Royal
Dutch Airlines) is registered in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, with
registered number 33014286
**

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

   


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: JCL replaced by Jol: - Was Why is JCL so bad

[Clement Clarke]

Hi Paul,

Yes, as you well know, it was used at Shell for decades, and Amoco, etc 
etc. All the companies that used it (some really major ones such as 
Amoco, Chicago) were taken over, or had the Computing systems moved back 
to headquarters, and converted back to Type 1 JCL.


Had IBM supported the product, it would have won the day...  (It still can).

Thank you for your support in helping to get it all going!  Gosh, think 
of all those midnight sessions getting it going and working out easier 
ways of doing things...  It really was a team effort with you, Fergus, 
David, Andrew, Mike and all the others in the team.  And thanks to Shell 
Management for being brave enough to give it the go ahead.


And Fujitsu after that. And the many others involved in the project in 
the decades that followed.


Cheers,

Clem
PS :  Re Parms: I think we could easily allow 256 byte parms.  Maybe a 
1000, why not?



Paul Gillis wrote:
I used Jol from 1970 through 1988 and was very happy with it, then 
when I changed jobs I had to relearn JCL. Jol certainly provided much 
of what has been discussed here since the early 70s.
Never tried a parm greater than 100 bytes, wonder if that would work. 
Probably no reason why it couldn't if the target program was able to 
cope with it.

Cheers, Paul

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: JCL replaced by Jol: - Was Why is JCL so bad

[Clement Clarke]

Possibly right.  That was only a very recent restriction, which I now 
remove.  Pity people want to kill each other, though...


Clem

David Andrews wrote:

On Tue, 2010-01-05 at 01:09 -0500, Clement Clarke wrote:
   

And that IBM haven't supported
 

I imagine that's unlikely as long as you require that Jol not be used
for "war activities".

   


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

JCL replaced by Jol: - Was Why is JCL so bad

[Clement Clarke]

Paul Gilmartin wrote:

The tragedy is that in 40 years no one undertook to fix it.
-- gil


   
I did fix it.  In 1969 (40 years ago), there was a prototype of a JCL 
replacement language called Jol.  By 1973, it was re-written in 
Assembler, and ran in 60K, just like the then JCL processor.


The real tragedy for users and the Z Series itself is that so few people 
know it.  And that IBM haven't supported it.


___

The language solves many of the problems that have been mentioned in 
this newsgroup.  It is totally free-form, has full symbolic variable 
processing (testing, replacing, etc), a superb macro system, IF 
statements, symbolic parameter replacements in "card files" - and much, 
much more.


There is, for example, a Copy command that will copy various types of 
files (SEQ, PDS, VSAM etc) and call in the appropriate IBM or other 
utility to do the copy.


You can make a 3270 style "panel" using a simple Panel instruction.  It 
can create Menubars and Pulldown lists, similar to Windows or Linux 
Guis. You can see an example of this here: 
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/oscar_jol_desc.html



A list of most of Jol supplied instructions can be found here: 
http://alturl.com/6xqh
or: http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/Jol 
Instructions Overview.html

You can click on the links to see the details of each instruction.

Jol also has a Network and Scheduling facility that allows you to submit 
dependent jobs in a particular sequence, and on certain days using 
JES2.  The Manual can be viewed online here:

http://alturl.com/ph9f
or: 
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/SHD_Contents.html

and the PDF version can be downloaded here: http://alturl.com/u88c
or here: 
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/Jol_Scheduling_and_Networking_Guide.pdf



Additionally, it has a data base of data sets.  You can specify 
attributes for data sets and store all the information about in the data 
base and Jol will extract the information required when creating New 
data sets.  This can be used to centralise all data set allocations to 
one person, or department.



Versions of Jol: There is an Assembler version that runs on the 
Mainframe, and a "C" one that runs on Windows, OS/2 and soon Linux.  The 
"C" version will run as a shell on it's native system, or it can produce 
pseudo JCL to run on Z/OS style systems.  A VSE version is awaiting testing.


Further Documentation: You can view the Jol Reference Guide online here: 
http://alturl.com/6g6x

or you can download the PDF version here: http://alturl.com/u2x7

You can download the Concepts and Facilities Manual PDF  here:
http://alturl.com/ehar
or: 
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/Jol_Concepts_And_Facilities.pdf


There is more documentation, for example Installation Guide, a full 
General Information Manual, and more.


However, the above will give you sufficient to see what Jol is, and how 
useful it can be to your organisations.


Some points of interest will probably be the description of the 
Preprocessing Facilities here:
"http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/GDE_Compile 
Time Facilities.html"


and Card Files (with Symbolic replacement):
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/INS_DclCardImage.html

and Macros here:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/GDE_Macros.html
and http://members.iinet.net.au/~clementclarke/JolWebManuals/INS_Macro.html


How does it get any better than this?

Clement Clarke, Melbourne, Australia
Tel +61401054155

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: replacement for proc pds rename function...

[Clement Clarke]

Yes, the only problem with IEHPROGM is that you have to use the Vol 
keyword, and know where the data set is. 


You can't use the Catalog to find the file.

In Jol, the syntax of the Rename instruction is:

  Rename old-dsname new-dsname [ALIAS]
[VOL volume UNIT unit]  ;

Examples

1. Rename 'sys1.proclib(TestProg)' (newprog);

2. Rename 'Test.data.set1' 'Old.Test.data';

3. Rename 'Dept1.*.asm' Dept2.*.asm';

Clem Clarke


Chris Mason wrote:

Don and responding contributors

Maybe I'm being grossly old-fashioned - and I am certainly grossly out-of-date 
regarding MVS Utilities - but I believe when I wanted to create a batch job[1] 
in order to rename the member of a partitioned data set, procedure members 
in procedure libraries included, I used the entirely free - sorry, at no extra 
cost from IBM - utility IEHPROGM. The appropriate example - found quickly by 
searching for "rename" on the Contents web page of the z/OS DFSMSdfp 
Utilities (SC26-7414-04) manual (to be found in the z/OS V1R10 DFSMS 
bookshelf):


http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/DGT2U130

Specifically "14.5.7 Example 7: Rename a Partitioned Data Set Member".



   //REN  JOB  ...
   //STEP1EXEC PGM=IEHPROGM
   //SYSPRINT DD  SYSOUT=A
   //DD1  DD  VOL=SER=22,DISP=OLD,UNIT=disk
   //SYSINDD  *
  RENAME 
VOL=disk=22,DSNAME=DATASET,NEWNAME=BC,MEMBER=ABC

   /*




... (delete text)
  



Chris Mason

  


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Possible new SYSTEM symbols in JCL.

[Clement Clarke]

The Jol Universal Command language (which can be used as a replacement
for JCL and Clists, and which can run jobs in Batch or TSO) has quite a
few symbolic variables preset.

Furthermore, User Exits or Macros can be used to set additional
Symbolics at startup, or later.  Symbolic Variables can be tested, or
changed, and full arithmetic expressions (similar to PL/I) can be
performed on them.

These are some of the Symbolic Variables that are set at startup:

%SYSDATE   The current date in Julian format e.g. 09290
%DAY   MONDAY, TUESDAY, etc.
%MONTH JANUARY, FEBRUARY, etc.
%MONTHNO   01, 02 Through 12
%DAYNO 01 through 31
%YEAR  2009, 2010, etc.
%HOURS 0 through 23
%MINS  0 through 59
%SECS  0 through 59

%SYSUIDSystem user identification
%SYSPREF   Dataset prefix
%SYSPFKProgram function key number from PANELs

%SYSTEMMFT, MVT, VS1, VS2, VM, etc.
%SPOOL HASP, ASP, JES1, JES2, JES3, or Blank

Jol is a free form scripting language similar to PL/I and Rexx.

It is available for Z/OS and a Windows version can create JCL to be 
submitted to the mainframe.



Clement Clarke



Scott T. Harder wrote:

John,

You are not the only one.  I've always found it frustrating that &SYSUID is
the only available symbol/variable that is available for use in batch.
Seems to me that there should be many more.  Aside from the temp data set
names you can use - and this is no news to everyone - we have to hardcode
EVERYTHING in JCL.  IBM should start to look at JCL like more of a scripting
language, IMO, and provide a lot more of what you originally posted about.

All the best,
Scott T. Harder

  



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.12.7/2085 - Release Date: 04/28/09 
18:02:00


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: JCL SET command and instream SYSIn

[Clement Clarke]

Jol allows this.  You can set up a symbolic variable, or use one of the 
pre-defined variables, and have it replaced on your card file.


For example, %DAY is set up by Jol

Then...

DCL X * REPLACE;
Today is %DAY
Month %MONTH
EOF;

Print x;   /* Print the card file */

See www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd


Cheers, 


Clem


[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

I already tried that and it doesn't work: A jcl set variable orks only on real 
JCL not on instream SYSIN (DD *). Any workaround? Any alternative to modify JCL 
and SYSIN (for example, deleting/definning datasets with IDCAMS) at one 
parameter without having to use ISPF CHANGE ALL?

Thanks for your ideas

Itschak 



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

  


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Conversion work

[Clement Clarke]

Don't forget my 370 Assembler to Intel converter.

Details and download are here:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/370to486download.html

__

   Convert IBM 370 Assembler to Intel 486 and Pentium code. 
 
   The converted code runs about 5 times faster than interpreted code
   thus making moving Mainframe applications to PCs a viable option. 
 
   Also, it provides an excellent development platform for developing

   Mainframe Assembler code and provides debugging features most
   mainframe programmers can only dream about!
___

Regards,

Clement Clarke


Steve Comstock wrote:

In a convoluted way, I've found out about a project
for a customer who wants to convert mainframe Assembler
apps to C#. I know nothing about C#, and I don't know
yet what platform the Assembler code is for (inquiries
are in process).

As an interim, if anyone would like to post any experience
or knowledge of similar projects, it might prove to be
enlightening.

And, if anyone would like to pursue doing some of this
work as a contractor, contact me directly, off-list.



Kind regards,

-Steve Comstock
The Trainer's Friend, Inc.

303-393-8716
http://www.trainersfriend.com

 



--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Controlling the execution sequence of dependant jobs in JES2 (a suggested fix)

[Clement Clarke]

You might find this interesting to look at.

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/Jol_Scheduling_and_Networking_Guide.pdf


I will send more information tomorrow.

Thoughts create things.  So we can see what we have created, people and 
the universe reflect back to us.  So, think beautiful thoughts.  They 
will come back to you.


And, in computer technology, think simplicity and ease of use.  Which 
was what I wanted when I created the easy network and scheduling facility.




Clement Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: VSAM Surprise

[Clement Clarke]

Ed Gould wrote:

On Feb 6, 2008, at 3:31 PM, Ted MacNEIL wrote:

I think it violates the principle of least astonishment.   Writing 
to a PDS as a PS dataset is almost certainly done by accident.  It 
would be nice it IDCAMS would just say "You didn't want to do that.".


It's not an IDCAMS issue.
It's a documented (flaw) feature of JCL.
The first place searched for file attributes is the executing programme.
If it thinks the file is sequential, it is treated as such.




Ted:

I disagree with you. it is IMO an OPEN issue it should return a RC 
that indicates that open was successful but as a sequential dataset. 
Although it might break a lot of code its a close call IMO. I think it 
revolves around OPEN and a feedback code (which is not presented to 
the end user) so IDCAMS is not really at fault its OPEN that has the 
flaw, although I can see it from both sides. I can see where IBM would 
say BAD and walk away from it, or say its fixed in rel . Its a no 
when situation as IBM coded open the way they did and who knows how 
much code would need to be fixed? Now if someone had caught this back 
in the 60's maybe.. but not this late in the game. On the other hand 
they could make IDCAMS (if this is coded in the JCL create a member 
called tempname. This might also break programs, but probably less 
than the first.


Ed

Fujitsu/Siemens fixed this in the '70s in MSP (an MVS look alike).

It abended with some sort of x37 or x13 code.  Of course, they had an 
SYSGEN option so you could turn it off.


There is lots of stuff IBM could do to make it easier for users.  For 
example, an easier to use JCL. It costs money, though, and if the main 
reason for a company to be in business is to make money for its 
shareholders, then users don't get much of a look in. See Why Money 
Doesn't Work Anymore at the end of the home page of my website:

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/:

Cheers,

Clement


,-._|\  Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, 370TO486
/  Oz  \ Web: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd
\_,--.x/ 38 Kings Park Road, West Perth, AUSTRALIA, 6005.
 v  Tel (61)-8-9324-1119, Mob 0401-054-155.
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Alfred Deakin Innovation Lecture: ABC Radi - Australian: Copyright and Patenting:

[Clement Clarke]

I thought the following talk given in Melbourne Australia a week or so
ago would be of interest.  If you click on the link at the end of the
message,  you can actually listen to the lecture, or read the transcript.

It is relevant to various discussions here recently.

It is said that the only constant thing in the universe is change.
Change must occur in these areas if society is to evolve (or even
survive).  See my article on Money Doesn't Work Anymore, too at my website.

Clement Clarke


,-._|\  Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, 370TO486
/  Oz  \ Web: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd
\_,--.x/ 38 Kings Park Road, West Perth, AUSTRALIA, 6005.
 v  Tel (61)-8-9324-1119, Mob 0401-054-155.
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
___

Are we missing out on the full benefits of science and technology
because of outdated ideas about copyright and patenting? Could the key
to feeding the world be locked up in a company fridge somewhere?
Open-source software has transformed the internet, underpinning the
phenomenal growth of Google, Ebay and YouTube. What can science learn
from this revolution? In our rush to protect intellectual property, have
we damaged our capacity to deliver solutions for the critical issues of
the 21st century?

In this lecture, John Wilbanks, Executive Director of Science Commons at
Harvard Law School, will describe how existing social and legal
infrastructures are choking science, and how we can create new ways to
share research. Brian Fitzgerald, Head of the Law School at Queensland
University of Technology, will discuss the success of open source in the
information technology world, and the lessons for other fields of science.

*Robyn Williams: *The program today comes from Melbourne and one of the
Deakin Lectures held during 2007. It's about intellectual property
rights, computers and the future, or to put it another way, how can
innovators at last be allowed to get on with it and how can we, the
public, make the most of useful knowledge, without being stung yet again
for a dollar.

More here:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/2122486.htm

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[Clement Clarke]

May you have a wonderful Christmas, and receive all the universe has to
offer over Christmas and the New Year.  And may the New Years just
rolling on, and on!

Create wonderful lives for yourselves and those around you, remembering
that thoughts become things, and that you have reflected back to you
what you create

Peace and Blessings,

Clement Clarke, Perth, Australia

www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: User error causes most z/OS production job failures

[Clement Clarke]

Howard Brazee wrote:

On 13 Dec 2007 12:07:24 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rick Fochtman)
wrote:

  
Many production jobs fail due to minor JCL errors. The root of that 
problem is that many shop's change control and security policies 
prohibit testing such changes prior to promotion.


Agreed. Usually caused by "finger checks".



Which is why I wrote Jol decades ago, to solve the "JCL Problem".  It 
was used for decades by most of the mainframe sites in Australia, and 
Amoco in the USA.  It is still available and stops most JCL errors.


You can learn more about it here:  http://www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd
and here: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/oscar_jol_desc.html

There is now a version that runs on Windows, which makes JCL to run on 
the mainframe.


What would it take for everyone to use it?

Cheers,

Clement Clarke


,-._|\  Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, 370TO486
/  Oz  \ Web: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd
\_,--.x/ 38 Kings Park Road, West Perth, AUSTRALIA, 6005.
 v  Tel (61)-8-9324-1119, Mob +61401-054-155.
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Open Source Security Risks (was T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly)

[Clement Clarke]

R.S. wrote:

David Cole wrote:

I think you have the open source security risks backwards, Herbie.

One of the features of open source is that the source code is public. 
This means that ANYONE can read it, study it, find bugs in it, AND 
find trap doors in it! And "anyone" means anyone in the whole world!


On the other hand open code reduces risk of existence of such holes, 
or assures better detection of such holes. This is good thing.

There are known holes in M$ software, despite it's OCO.

If anyone would like the source code of the Jol Universal Command 
Language (370 ASM version) please send me an email and I will tell where 
you can download it from.


You must agree that you will abide by the GNU terms, and not use it 
commercially without some appreciation, or for war.


Cheers,

Clement Clarke
Perth

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

Roger Bowler wrote:

On Wed, 5 Dec 2007 19:35:38 -, Phil Payne wrote:
  
Where I *do* agree with you, on the other hand, is the futility of writing

to Sam Palmisano, coupled with the inadvisability of citing Hercules as
justification. However, both you and I have been known to be wrong in the
past, so who knows we may be proved wrong on this occasion too :-)


  

I like to believe in miracles, Roger!

Einstein, Bohm et all, believe that we ar all one.   That we create our 
lives, and that we reflect back to each other the lives/thoughts we have.


So, create happy creative lives.  You created something great.  We all can


Clem

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

Hi everyone,

There were so many good ideas that I didn't send the letter.  (Gosh, I 
was sorely tempted though...)


I think it is a great idea to have many people sign it (which is why I 
had And... And..) under my signature.


And to get Share involved it GREAT.

So... onwards, ever onwards.

I look forward to seeing what pops up in the next week or so.

Cheers,

Clement Clarke

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

Hi Roger, Sam and Doc and other interested people,

I have just learned that Sam is in Oz (for the first time ever).  See
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22874620-16123,00.html

In the past, I have spoken to a few people in IBM (gosh, I worked there 
for 4 years), and, if we are quick it might be possible to get it discussed.


I've written something fairly quickly, and stood on the shoulders of 
others by incorporating their comments.  I'll send it to Sam first thing 
tomorrow (it is sleep time in Oz) after you have commented.


It is here: 
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/Letter%20to%20Sam%20Palmisano.html


Cheers,

Clement Clarke

Ian wrote:

Clem

If there is an interest in developing and signing such a letter to Sam
I can host such and effort on my site.

Ian
http://www.pcs305.com

On Dec 4, 2007 6:57 PM, Clement Clarke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
  

A letter or two to Sam might help.

How about if we formulate one together and send it to him?  My guess is
that the email sent about students being unable to use Z/OS might form a
good basis?

Clem




--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html


  


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

Roger Bowler wrote:

On Mon, 3 Dec 2007 16:04:52 -0600, Dave Kopischke wrote:
  

I don't believe IBM has an obligation to you or any of us to act responsibly
nor fairly in this matter. This is IBM's property and they are entitled to sell
it or allow access to it or give it away in any way they see fit.



  
> Dave, that may well be true from a strictly legal point of view. But 
from a

moral point of view, I would contend (perhaps controversially) that IBM
*does* have a moral obligation to the rest of us with respect to z/OS and
the mainframe architectures.

  

I most certainly agree Roger. You can compete, or co-operate.

Competing means:
* You must lock everything up in patents etc
* You must have teams of lawyers to defend "your rights"
* You cannot have people "standing on the shoulders of those who went 
before". In other words, progress is slowed.

etc etc

Cooperation means people work together to create something better.

Co-petition can be used to provide a number of different ideas. Edward 
de Bono says:



 “Companies that solely focus on competition will ultimately die. Those
 that focus on value creation will thrive.”



Edward de Bono quotes 
 ((Francis Charles 
Publius) Maltese 
 Psychologist 
 and Writer 
, leading 
authority in field of creative thinking. b.1933)


Clem

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

Well said.

Clem

Ian wrote:

IBM already do give software "away" You can get the "WAS Community
Edition" as well as the DB2 Express Community edition.
You can develop applications using DB2 Express-c and sell it for profit.

Microsoft actively tries to get Mainframe shops to convert to the MS
Data Center product or at leats prevent new customers to even think
about the mainframe. Take a look at these pictures of adds at the
Gartner Expo in Vegas this week (http://www.pcs305.com/node/182)

Why do they do this? Because that is how you get interest going in
your product in the IT industry today.
How can you possibly expect college students or high school students
to show interest in a product that they can only read about?
They can go and download free operating systems, free database
systems, free transaction processors anytime they want and they cah
start a business based on that in a basement and build it into a
billion Dollar company. (Google, Amazon, yahoo, SugarCRM etc.)

But if to get close to a mainframe that same studnt will have to:
1) finish college (where no classes in "Manframe was presented")
2) join one of very few companies with a mainframe
3) be boxed in to what the company wants him to develop or work on.

I don't think we will see talent flocking to the mainframe anytime
soon based on this model.

Using Hercules you can run z/OS on Linux. Why not make it available?
Same goes for CICS. Make it available for free too developers and hobbyists.
(I did write about this in the past here http://www.pcs305.com/node/140 )

The only thing that will happen is more applications will be developed
and IBM will gain more users.

If IBM does not do something actively to get the mainframe's going it
will disappear in the near future.
And I don't think that the Mainframe users really cares. If they were
hobbyists and were formed into well developed communities that would
be a different scenario...

Thats my 2 cents...

Ian
http://www.pcs305.com


  


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

A letter or two to Sam might help. 

How about if we formulate one together and send it to him?  My guess is 
that the email sent about students being unable to use Z/OS might form a 
good basis?


Clem

David Cole wrote:


Collective action is another such path. The PWDFLEXES group 
(tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/pwdflexes) is trying to take action along 
those lines.


"Interesting times" ...




--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Money Just Doesn't Work Any More

[Clement Clarke]

No 

I actually sent that out to all our Pollies a few weeks BEFORE the election.

It created a bif of discussion, to say the least.

But - think about it.  Does money help, or hinder?

Clem
PS:  The Government thrown out was a right wing government.

I am not sure what we put in it's place though!


Shane wrote:

On Tue, 2007-12-04 at 21:33 +0900, Clement Clarke wrote:

  

See the formatted version here:



You moonlighting for the ABC Clem ??? ...
See http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/04/2108688.htm

For those unaware, Australia has just tossed out it's (latest) Prime
Minister and his attendant remora.

Shane ...

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html


  


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: Money Just Doesn’t Work Any More

[Clement Clarke]

* Money Just Doesn’t Work Any More.*

*
"IF WE DON'T HAVE A PLANET WITH TREES TO LIVE ON THERE WILL BE NO 
ECONOMY, NO FOOD AND SOME PRETTY TERRIBLE OUTCOMES."* Lisa P, Melbourne.


   Does money buy us freedom, or houses or health or anything, as the 
Politicians would have us believe?  Why do we have to work for years to 
pay off mortgages because we borrow some money? What if money was the 
cause of the problem, and not the solution?
   The Creator made a wonderful planet for us to play, create and 
evolve on.  Planet Earth is an abundant place.  With the Sun providing 
energy for us, one could say that Earth is Infinitely Abundant.  We 
really lack for nothing.  */Abundance just is!/*
   But, we stuffed up big time.  /We *created money.* / God didn’t 
create it.  We humans did.  And we did it badly.  We all know that our 
current economic system is *TOTALLY* man made.  Designed by humans. And 
that money is totally created and destroyed by banks - created from thin 
air.  It is not even backed by gold or silver anymore. 
   We are suffering.  The planet – our home – is suffering.  Pretty 
soon, we will have poisoned it so much it will not be able to support us.


   So, what happened?  We have been told over and over and over again 
that having money is a good thing.  That money is a form of stored 
energy, or wealth.  Or that we need money to exchange goods with each 
other. But, let’s step back a bit and look at money as a way to divide 
up the natural abundance we all have.  To separate us from our abundance.

   How can this be?
   Let us consider that all things on the planet are free.  Remember, 
God didn’t invent money - we did.  By using our free natural resources, 
we can create electricity, or telephone systems, or hospitals.  All that 
is required is the idea, and manpower.  Both of which are free.  Money 
doesn’t run hospitals – humans do.  Money doesn’t run telephones – 
humans and computers do.  Money doesn’t run anything. Humans do.
   Money is simply a catalyst.  It helps things happen.  It is a 
convenience.
   But money shouldn’t tell us how to run our lives.  The profit motive 
must not put money before humans.  Companies should not exist to merely 
make profit, but to create a better world.  Banks must stop charging 
interest on what is created from thin air – money.  Growth needs be 
curbed – we just don’t need a new mobile or whatever every 6 months.
   Make no mistake; the planet is being poisoned by greed.  Gandhi 
said: “There is enough for all, but not enough for one greedy man.”
   The Money Game was invented by humans to divide us.  It is time for 
the Rules to be changed, so that Money works for *all of us.*  By all 
means create money from thin air, but use it for constructive purposes.  
The Commonwealth Bank used to create money to build Roads, Telephones, 
Electricity and so on.  It charged minimal interest.  Now private banks 
do the same job and charge much, much more in interest.  Let’s change 
back to that system – for the common good, which includes the planet.
   It is insanity that we are working harder and harder just to feed 
the money system.  It is insanity that the system we designed is chewing 
up the earth's resources at an ever increasing rate.
   It is insanity that we are allowing the system we humans designed to 
*/destroy and enslave us/*.  It is insanity that we are all our time 
"making money", instead of fixing our planet.
   What would it take, whoever wins power, to please throw away 
whatever beliefs you have about the "isms", open your minds to new 
ideas, and let's create a system that puts the planet and humans first?
   Remember that thoughts become things, and whatever we can think of, 
we can create.  We create our lives by our thoughts, so choose wisely.  
Think abundance, not restriction.  And let us all have fun during our 
time on the planet.


Clement Clarke, Perth, November 13, 2007

--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Money Just Doesn’t Work Any More

[Clement Clarke]

See the formatted version here:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~oscarptyltd/Money_Just_Doesnt_Work_Any_More.html 
<http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Eoscarptyltd/Money_Just_Doesnt_Work_Any_More.html>


Clement Clarke


--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html

Re: T3 Sues IBM To Break its Mainframe Monopoly

[Clement Clarke]

It is another OS/2 debacle, isn't it?  Best OS at the time, and we had 
to put up with a decade of Windows 98 etc before they got a relatively 
stable OS with Win 2k etc. 


All because of money... see next email.

Clement Clarke

David Cole wrote:

At 12/3/2007 05:04 PM, Dave Kopischke wrote:
With all due respect, I don't believe IBM has an obligation to you or 
any of us to act responsibly nor fairly in this matter. This is IBM's 
property and they are entitled to sell it or allow access to it or 
give it away in any way they see fit. And that includes protecting it 
in any manner and with whatever ferocity they feel appropriate.


WADR (BTW, I hate that phrase...) WADR: I don't believe I said 
anything at all about IBM "having an obligation...". Of course they 
don't. I was only describing the current circumstances as I see them.


But even though I understand that IBM does not have an "obligation", I 
don't therefore believe that we, who are adversely affected by this 
non-obligation, should simply stand silently by and let this 
deterioration of our community just happen.


Like most of what happens in this world, this is just a struggle 
between competing interests, and IBM is just one player in this 
struggle. Unfortunately, the struggle is somewhat out of balance. 
Especially if we just stand by and let it happen. Also unfortunately, 
in this struggle the major power is too short-term goal bound to see 
the long range benefits of broadening this community instead of 
strangling it. (And other large powers are too complacent to help out.)


Still, those of us who are directly affected have options for 
influencing IBM's decision process:
The law is one such. That's what PSI and T3 are trying to use by going 
to the courts.


Negotiation is another such tool. FSI was trying to follow that path, 
but it doesn't look like it's working so well. (I wouldn't be 
surprised if we saw FSI filing suit in the near future as well.)


Collective action is another such path. The PWDFLEXES group 
(tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/pwdflexes) is trying to take action along 
those lines.


"Interesting times" ...


Dave Cole  REPLY TO: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cole Software  WEB PAGE: http://www.colesoft.com
736 Fox Hollow RoadVOICE:540-456-8536
Afton, VA 22920FAX:  540-456-6658






--
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html