Using the ISPF Interface with Date/Time Offset

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

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

Simulated Date Time Settings Screen for the ISPF Interface in Offset Format

---------------------- Simulated Date Time Settings -------- Row 1 to 14 of 14
COMMAND ===>                                                  SCROLL ===> PAGE
                                                              System ID: AC12
Line Commands: S - Set H - Set and Hold R - Reset D - Delete A - Set Active
Status Codes: Q - Queued P - Pending A - Active N - Not Active * - Error

                                                          - Constants -
Filter:        ******** ******** ******** ******** * **** ** **   *
C/S Owner     Jobname   Stepname Procstep Program GHD Days Hrs Mins Ind
   Q PPRJET0   PPRJET0O *_______ *_______ *______   N 1111 06 30   +
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
_              ________ _________ ________ _______   _ ____ __ __   _
******************************* BOTTOM OF DATA ********************************

Create Xchange requests as you would using the standard ISPF interface, but use the Constants fields to specify how far in the future or past you want Xchange to simulate.

After entering a date/time offset request, you can press PF3 to return to the standard ISPF Simulated Date Time Settings screen as shown in the following figure:

Simulated Date Time Settings Screen Showing Date/Time Offset Requests

----------------------- Simulated Date Time Settings ------- Row 1 to 14 of 14
COMMAND ===>                                                  SCROLL ===> PAGE
                                                              System ID: AC12
Type Legal on the command line for Copyright/Trade Secret Notice Information
Line Commands: S - Set H - Set and Hold R - Reset D - Delete A - Set Active
Status Codes: Q - Queued P - Pending A - Active E - Executing * - Error
               C - Completed N - Not Active
Filter:      ******** ******** ******** ******** * **** ** ** ** ** **
C/S Owner    Jobname Stepname Procstep Program GHD YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS Jobno
_ Q PPRJET0 PPRJET0O *_______ *_______ *_______ N ____ __ __ __ __ __
_ C PPRJET0 PPRJET0O *_______ *_______ *_______ N 2011 03 26 12 47 40 75433
_ C PPRJET0 PPRJET0O GO______ ________ COBMAINA N 2011 03 26 12 47 40 75433
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
_   _______ ________ ________ ________ ________ _ ____ __ __ __ __ __
******************************* BOTTOM OF DATA ********************************

Queued offset requests are displayed without a specific date and time. Completed offset request messages are displayed with their simulated date/time calculated at execution from the Constants field values entered on the offset format screen.

Tip

The offset format screen remains unchanged and displays only requests, not messages.

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 job.

The Owner 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 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 job requests for which the rest of the 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 job requests for 2025 days — assuming the rest of the 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.