Graphical user interface

This console is the central location from which you manage your database maintenance tasks. The following figure shows the console with a typical IMS database administration environment that has been defined.

You launch the console from the Windows Start menu on your desktop. During launch, the console automatically checks for and notifies you about available updates. Installing console maintenance is a user-controlled, one-click operation which is similar to the initial console installation that you initiate from your web browser.

When the console opens, you connect to a host (by right clicking the host object) to access IMS applications and objects (IMS systems, groups, databases, data sets, and so on) on the mainframe. You are prompted to enter your TSO user ID and password (which can be saved so that you can connect to a host later by clicking the host object).

In the console, you access information and actions for the IMS components by clicking their displayed icons in the Navigation window (the object tree). The tree represents a hierarchy of IMS components. From the highest level to the lowest level, the following objects are included in the IMS component hierarchy:

The console displays the results of your requests in the work area. You can page among multiple results by clicking buttons along the bottom of the work area. You view product messages in the Messages window.