Using Jobclass Support with Date/Time Offset

In addition to standard Xchange jobclass requests used to specify a particular date and/or time, you can create jobclass requests based on a fixed offset from the current date and time when the job is initiated.

To create Xchange jobclass date/time offset requests, first enter the JOBOFF primary command on the Simulated Date Time Settings screen as described in Primary Commands. The screen is redisplayed in jobclass date/time offset format as shown in the following figure:

Simulated Date Time Settings Screen for Jobclass Support in Offset Format

---------------------- Simulated Date Time Settings ------- Row 1 to 14 of 36
COMMAND ===>                                                 SCROLL ===> CSR
                                                             System ID: AC12
Line Commands: H - Set and Hold R - Reset D - Delete
Status Codes: Q - Queued A - Active E - Executing * - Error
                      - Constants -           -- Current Simulated Time--

Filter:               **** ** **    *
C/S Imsg   Jobclass Days Hrs Mins Ind          YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS
_           A         ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           B ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           C ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           D ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           E ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           F ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           G ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           H ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           I ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           J ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           K ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           L ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           M ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
_           N ____ __ __    _           ____ __ __ __ __ __
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Create Xchange requests as you would using the standard jobclass format, but use the Constants fields to specify how far in the future or past you want Xchange to simulate. Other fields, status codes, and commands are the same as those described in Using-Jobclass-Support.

Constants Fields

Use the Constants fields to specify how far into the future or past you want Xchange to simulate the date and time for a request. For example, if you type 364 in the Days field, 23 in the Hrs field, 59 in the Mins field, and + in the Ind field of a pattern job request, Xchange will substitute a date and time nearly one year into the future for the specified jobclass.

The Imsg field and the S portion of the C/S field are display-only. You can type data into all other fields. The Filter row contains a series of mask fields, each corresponding to the column directly following it.

Tip

Only those fields unique to Xchange’s date/time jobclass offset format are described in this section. For descriptions of other fields, see Fields.

Filter Days, Hrs, Mins

The masks for the Days, Hrs, and Mins fields. The initial values are all asterisks, which directs Xchange to display all jobclass requests for which the rest of the constant by jobclass request entry fields match their corresponding masks. These masks are saved upon exit and restored upon entry.

An asterisk represents a single wildcard character in the position of the day or time where it is placed. For example, masks 20** and **25 would each result in the display of all jobclass requests for 2025 days — assuming the rest of the constant by jobclass request entry fields match their masks. The Filter Days mask must contain either numeric data, asterisks, or both. A mask of all blanks is valid for the Filter Hrs and Filter Mins fields. A combination of blanks and asterisks, or numeric data and asterisks, is also valid. If you enter all numeric data, validation rules are equivalent to that of the request entry Days, Hrs, and Mins fields.

Filter Ind

The mask for the Ind field. An asterisk, + (plus), or - (minus) is valid. A minus is valid only if the PREVDATE parameter is set to YES (see Task 3.2.2: Specify Xchange parameters).

Days

The number of days into the future or past that you want Xchange to simulate. Valid entries are from 0 to 9999. The default is 0.

Hrs

The number of hours into the future or past that you want Xchange to simulate. Valid entries are from 0 to 23. The default is 0.

Mins

The number of minutes into the future or past that you want Xchange to simulate. Valid entries are from 0 to 59. The default is 0.

Ind

Used to indicate the direction, future or past, that you want Xchange to simulate. Valid entries are + (plus) for an offset into the future and - (minus) for an offset into the past. The default is +. If the PREVDATE parameter is set to NO (see Task 3.2.2: Specify Xchange parameters), date/time offsets into the past are not allowed.