Accessing Performance Test documentation (VTAM)

Performance Test documentation is available on the BMC documentation portal HTML and PDF formats:

Performance Test Release Notes — Provides recent information for the Performance Test product. In this file, you can quickly access technical notes and a list of the new features available in the release. The Release Notes may be updated throughout the life cycle of a release with the most current version located on the BMC Support Central for easy access to the latest product information.
Performance Test Installation and Configuration Guide — Provides installation and configuration procedures.
Performance Test Advanced Configuration Guide — Supplements the Performance Test Installation-and-Configuration-Guide, providing further customization instructions and reference information.
Performance Test for VTAM User Guide — Explains how to use Performance Test for VTAM to test 3270 and LU0 applications.
Performance Test for WebSphere MQ User Guide — Explains how to use Performance Test for WebSphere MQ to test WebSphere MQ applications.
Performance Test for Mainframe Servers User Guide — Explains how to use Performance Test for Mainframe Servers to test APPC and TCP/IP applications.
Performance Test Automated Testing Vehicle (ATV) Manager User Guide — Explains how to use the Performance Test ATV Manager to manage your testing environment and test cases.
Performance Test Messages and Codes — Explains the messages and codes that Performance Test produces.
Performance Test Scripting Reference — Introduces advanced script editing concepts and provides reference information for technical users.

View and print PDF files with Adobe Reader. Download a free copy of the latest version of the reader from Adobe’s web site.

Tip

With a few minor exceptions, PDF files comply with the requirements of section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Refer to the Accessibility preface in any of the user guides for information.

HTML files

For your convenience, BMC Software also provides the Performance Test documentation in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.

View HTML files with any standard Web browser. Click the HTML link on the selected BMC documentation portal page.

Access these formats on BMC documentation portal.

Log-in.
Select the desired product.
Click the Documentation link on the left selection bar.
Select the desired release. The BMC Support Central presents a documentation list containing links to each of the product’s documentation in all of the available formats.

Using this space

This section describes the:

contents of this space
notation conventions used throughout the space
command syntax and syntax diagrams.

Performance Test for VTAM User Guide overview

This space describes how to use Performance Test for testing mainframe business applications. It contains the following sections:

Product-Overview-VTAM — Summary of system requirements, interactive and batch facilities, and interface conventions.
Managing Performance Test for VTAM Datasets (VTAM) — Describes how to manage required data sets including how to allocate Performance Test script data sets, how Performance Test responds when you work with an archived data set or reuse an existing one, and how to use the script recovery utility when a recording ends in error.
Getting-Started-VTAM — Describes how to start and end sessions and contact the domain destination to be tested.
Automated-Testing-Vehicle-ATV-Manager-VTAM — Describes how to use the Automated Testing Vehicle Manager to build, execute, and manage regression and performance automated test vehicles.
Online-Testing-of-3270-Applications-VTAM — Describes how to record, play back, compare, mask, dub, and edit scripts for testing 3270 applications.
3270-Unattended-Processing-VTAM — Describes how to set up unattended playback of 3270 scripts.
Unattended-Playback-Dubbing-and-Comparison-for-3270-and-LU0-Scripts-VTAM — Describes how to use unattended playback, dubbing, and independent unattended comparison functions for stress, volume, and concurrency testing of domain destinations.
Quick Play—Select a Script and Go — Describes how to quickly play back recorded scripts without being attached to an application.
Demonstrating-Scripts-with-Session-Demo-VTAM — Describes how to play a script without interacting with the domain destination used to record the script.
Global-Recording-Requests-and-Scripts-VTAM — Describes how to record the activity of multiple users and generate scripts.
Customizing-Scripts-with-the-REXX-Script-Processor-VTAM — Describes how to create “smart” scripts automatically.
Date-Change-and-Date-Find-Script-Processors-VTAM — Describes how to use these testing processors.
Input-Field-Reformat-Script-Processor-VTAM — Describes how to change the format of input fields in scripts.
MultiChange-Script-Processor-VTAM — Describes how to modify the contents of fields in scripts or add a script to another script.
Security-Script-Processor-VTAM — Describes how to modify out-of-date passwords in scripts.
Performance Test for VTAM EURO Script Utility (VTAM) — Describes how to translate monetary units to aid in testing conversion to the new European currency. This is an optional feature and requires a separate license.
GST-Goods-and-Services-Tax-Testing-Utility-VTAM — Describes how to find and isolate selected fields. This is an optional feature and requires a separate license.
Unattended-Message-Filters-VTAM — Describes how to create new scripts by removing selected messages from existing scripts.
3270-Reporting-VTAM — Describes how to use utilities for the transaction journal, automated documentation, comparison, exception, REXX logs, and 3270 summary reports.
Text-to-Web-Compare-and-Exception-Log-Converter-VTAM — Describes how to convert comparison, exception, and onelog data sets to interactive web reports and how to navigate the converted reports.
Performance Test for VTAM Profile Defaults (VTAM) — Provides information on how to edit your Performance Test for VTAM default profile settings.
Customer-Support-Diagnostics-VTAM — Describes how to generate a Customer Support Diagnostic Report that lists all PTFs applied to your installation.
Performance Test Script Tags (VTAM) — Contains description of Performance Test script tags.

Notation conventions

This space uses the following notations to describe Performance Test screens and the information you enter on those screens:

Technical revisions made to this document are indicated by revision bars in the left margin, as shown here.
Sample screens generally show only the information appropriate to the accompanying text, for example:
. ZOOM:F23 ------------------------ Domain Traveler ----------------------------- .
. Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE .
. RECORD OFF PLAY OFF JOURNAL OFF COMPARE LOG OFF AUTODOC OFF                 .
. IKJ56700A ENTER USERID -                                                        .
Blank lines or standard footings, as shown below, are usually omitted from screen illustrations.
. Press ENTER to begin recording. Use END to cancel setup.
Information you enter is printed in boldface.
Words defined within paragraphs are italicized.
The phrase “select an option” refers to typing a slash next to one of the presented options and pressing Enter.

Command syntax

Performance Test uses statements and commands that you will learn about later. This section describes text conventions used in statement and command descriptions. It also explains how to read syntax diagrams.

Keywords are shown in UPPERCASE letters. Enter keywords and special characters as shown. If a command or statement name can be abbreviated, the description shows only the abbreviation in uppercase letters.
Find string [NEXT|PREV|ALL]
The uppercase F in the command FIND means that you can enter the FIND command either as FIND or F.
Variables and generic descriptions of parameter values are shown in lowercase letters.
Vertical bars (|) are separators between mutually exclusive options.
Brackets ([ ]) indicate optional parameters. All parameters not enclosed in brackets are required.
Ellipses (…) indicate that the value can be repeated.

Reading syntax diagrams

Syntax diagrams define primary command syntax.

A parameter is either a keyword or a variable.

All KEYWORDs are shown in uppercase characters and must be spelled exactly as shown. You cannot substitute another value. If any part of a KEYWORD is shown in lowercase characters, that part is optional.

Variables are user-specified values and are printed in lowercase italics. For example, dataset-name indicates you are to substitute a value.

The syntax for commands is described in diagrams that help you visualize parameter use. The following example shows a command and a parameter:

Read the diagrams from left to right and from top to bottom. These symbols help you follow the path of the syntax:

	indicates the beginning of a statement.
	indicates the statement is continued on the next line.
	indicates the statement is continued from the previous line.
	indicates the end of a statement.

Required parameters appear on the horizontal line (the main path). Optional parameters appear below the main path. Default parameters appear above the main path and are optional. The command executes the same regardless of whether the default parameter is included.

Vertically stacked parameters are mutually exclusive. If you must choose a parameter, one item of the stack appears on the main path. If the parameters are optional, the entire stack appears below the main path. If a parameter in a stack is the default, it appears above the main path.

If the same parameters are used with several commands, their syntax may be documented in a separate diagram. In the command syntax, these common parameters are indicated with separators before and after the parameter name.

An arrow returning to the left indicates a repeatable item. If the arrow contains a comma, separate the repeated items with a comma.