Getting started with BMC AMI DevX File-AID/MVS online options

This section provides information about the online portion of File-AID/MVS. It is intended for users who are familiar with the IBM Interactive System Productivity Facility/Program Development Facility (ISPF/PDF), hereafter referred to as ISPF. The basic components of ISPF are not defined here.

What’s in this section?

The first two topics of this space introduce the general facilities and recurring features of File-AID. The following sections discuss each product function and are arranged in the order they appear on the File-AID Primary Option Menu. The function’s option number appears in parentheses following the section title. The final two sections describe primary and line commands. The following list briefly describes the contents of each section:

  • Overview-of-File-AID-MVS-online-options: Product feature and function descriptions.
  • Conventions-and-procedures-in-File-AID-MVS-options: Instructions for accessing File-AID and descriptions of the conventions and procedures that can be used with more than one function, such as tutorials.
  • Parameters-function: Display and modify a variety of parameter settings at any time during your File-AID session. This topic describes the Parameters function, options, and screens.
  • Browse and Edit (1 and 2): Browse and edit data in Character, Formatted, Vertical Formatted, or Unformatted mode. This topic describes the Browse and Edit function data displays, screens, information displays, audit trail feature, edit procedures, and performance considerations.
  • 1): Manage libraries online. This topic describes the Library utility function, options, and screens.
  • Dataset-Utility-function: Allocate, define, delete, rename, and uncatalog data sets, display data set information, and free unused space. This topic describes the Data set utility function, options, and screens.
  • Copy-Utility-function: Copy records or members from one data set to another. This topic describes the Copy utility function, options, and screens.
  • Catalog-Utilities-function: Display lists of cataloged data sets. This topic describes the Catalog utility function, options, and screens.
  • VSAM-Utility-function: Allocate VSAM data sets, display data set information, delete and define clusters, and rename and modify components. This topic describes the VSAM utility function, options, and screens.
  • Search-Update-Utility-function: View and modify files of any standard MVS access method. This topic describes the Search/Update utility function, options, and screens.
  • 7): List volume information by volume or data set. This topic describes the VTOC utility function, options, and screens.
  • Interactive-Utility-function: Process File-AID/Batch commands at a terminal. This topic describes the Interactive utility function and screens.
  • Batch-Submit-Utility-function: Use screens to create and submit batch jobs. This topic describes the Batch Submit utility function and screens.
  • Format-Utility-function: Use screens to compile source record layouts into File-AID maps. This topic describes the Format utility function and screens.
  • XMLGEN-Utility-function: Use screens to create XML documents from existing files using Assembler, COBOL or PL/I layout fields as the tag names.
  • Print-functionm: Print the contents of a data file, record layout XREF, selection criteria, record layouts, and if created audit trail. This topic describes the Print function, options, and screens.
  • Selection-Criteria-function: Create and maintain sets of criteria that File-AID uses to select records in a data file for processing. This topic describes the Selection Criteria function, options, and screens.
  • Record-Layout-Cross-Reference-function: Create and maintain XREFs (record layout cross references) that File-AID uses to format files containing more than one record type. This topic describes the Record Layout Cross Reference function, options, and screens.
  • View-Record-Layout-function: View Assembler, COBOL or PL/I record layouts as File-AID interprets them. This topic describes the View function and screens.
  • Reformat-function: Reformat an input file as it is being copied. This topic describes the Reformat function, options, and screens.
  • Compare-function: Compare two files. This topic describes the Compare function, options, and screens.
  • Primary-commands: Syntax and usage of the primary commands. This topic describes each File-AID primary command.
  • Line-commands: Syntax and usage of the line commands for use in character and vertical formatted edit modes. This topic describes each File-AID line command.

Getting help

At BMC we strive to make our products and documentation the best in the industry. Feedback from our customers helps us to maintain our quality standards.

If problems arise, consult your manual or the File-AID technical representative at your site for assistance. If problems persist, please obtain the following information before calling BMC. This information helps us to efficiently determine the cause of the problem.

  1. If possible, access the File-AID System Parameters screen (option 0.1) to determine your client number, File-AID release number and release date.
  2. Identify the operating system being used to help determine operating system dependencies.
  3. If an abend occurs, note the displacement and the module in which it occurs. If possible, obtain a copy of the system dump (see Creating a Dump).
  4. Note the sequence of issued commands that resulted in the problem, and the data type involved.

Creating a dump

File-AID processing normally traps abends and summarizes the abend information. In most cases, this provides the information necessary to analyze the problem. When it is not sufficient, a BMC support representative may ask you to shut off the File-AID abend-trapping and create a full (regular) dump.

Batch

To get a full dump from a File-AID batch function:

  1. Add the following JCL to the job step in question:
    //SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*                         DUMP OUTPU
    //ABNLDUMP DD DUMMY         UNDER ABEND-AID, GET FULL DUMP, TOO
    The system forces the DCB parameters that it needs. You can point SYSUDUMP to a dataset
    instead of a SYSOUT class.
  2. Change the EXEC statement from PGM=XFAFAID to PGM=XFAFAID,PARM=’DEBUG’ in the JCL of the job step in question. This sets up File-AID to get a dump.
  3. Add the following CEEOPTS DD statement to turn off LE (Language Environment) trapping:

//CEEOPTS DD *
TRAP(OFF,NOSPIE) 

Recreate the problem, print the dump or copy it to a dataset, and ship it and other supporting materials to BMC for analysis.

SYSMDUMP

In case the SYSUDUMP doesn’t provide enough information, a BMC Support representative may ask for a SYSMDUMP.

To get a full SYSMDUMP from a File-AID batch function:

  1. Add the following JCL to the job step in question:
    //CEEOPTS DD *

    TRAP(OFF,NOSPIE)
    //SYSMDUMP DD DSN=your dataset name,
    // DCB=(RECFM=FBS,LRECL=4160,BLKSIZE=4160),
    // UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,CATLG,CATLG),
    // SPACE=(CYL,(300,100),RLSE)
  2. Change the EXEC statement from PGM=XFAFAID to PGM=XFAFAID,PARM=’DEBUG’ in the JCL of the job step in question. This sets up File-AID to get a dump.

Recreate the problem and ship the dump and other supporting materials to BMC for analysis.

Online

To get a full dump from a File-AID online function:

  1. Allocate a CEEOPTS file with RECFM=FB, LRECL=80, BLKSIZE=80, and space units= 1 block.
  2. Edit the CEEOPTS file and set positions 1 - 16 to: TRAP(OFF,NOSPIE).
  3. To set up TSO allocation to get a dump, enter these TSO commands:
    ALLOC     FI(SYSUDUMP) DA(SYSUDUMP) MOD CYL SPACE(5 5) REUSE /*DUMP OUTPUT*/ ALLOC FI(ABNLDUMP) DUMMY REUSE     /*UNDER ABEND-AID, GET FULL DUMP,TOO*/
    The system forces the DCB parameters that it needs.
  4. Then online do ALLOC FI(CEEOPTS) DA(ceeopts DSN) OLD
  5. To put File-AID in TEST mode and set up to get a dump, select File-AID option Z.4 (File-AID Primary Option Menu, hidden Diagnostics option Z, Variables option 4). Set the TEST mode to Y.
  6. Without backing out of File-AID recreate the problem. When needed for problem diagnosis, create screen prints. When the abend occurs, immediately, press Enter.
    Now you wait for the system to write the dump. Be     prepared to wait, this normally takes a while. There may be several cascading dumps to process.
  7. When the system comes back, ship the dump and other supporting materials to BMC for analysis.
SYSMDUMP

In case the SYSUDUMP doesn’t provide enough information, a customer service representative may ask for a SYSMDUMP.

To get a full SYSMDUMP from a File-AID online function:

  1. Allocate a CEEOPTS file with RECFM=FB, LRECL=80, BLKSIZE=80 and space units= 1 block.
  2. Edit the CEEOPTS file and set positions 1 - 16 to TRAP(OFF,NOSPIE).
  3. Allocate a SYSMDUMP file with RECFM=FBS, LRECL=4160, BLKSIZE=24960 and units= 500 cylinders.
  4. Then online do ALLOC FI(SYSMDUMP) DA(sysmdump DSN) OLD
  5. Then online do ALLOC FI(CEEOPTS) DA(ceeopts DSN) OLD

Recreate the problem and ship the dump and other supporting materials to BMC for analysis.

This section provides information about the following topics:

 

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