Common edit primary commands

You can use the following primary commands in any of the three editing modes—Formatted, Unformatted, or Index. Each of these commands operates the same in all three editing modes. Except where noted, each command is also valid in Browse. See 2024-05-06_05-54-23_Command Summary for the syntax and function of all the primary commands.

CAPS	Sets or changes caps mode.
DBD	Returns to the DBD Member List screen.
END	Returns to the Data Base Location screen.
FORMAT	Switches to Formatted editing mode.
INDEX	Switches to Index editing mode.
KEY	Displays the Key Specification screen.
MENU	Returns to the Primary Option menu.
PARENT	Retrieves specified parent of current segment.
RETURN	Returns to the DBD Member List screen.
ROOT	Retrieves specified root segment.
UNFORMAT	Switches to Unformatted editing mode.

CAPS Command

The CAPS command controls the caps mode while in File-AID for IMS. If caps mode is ON, lowercase alphabetic data gets translated to uppercase.

In the formatted editing mode with caps mode ON, if any data is changed then the entire field will automatically be translated to upper case, whereas in character and unformatted editing mode, only the changed data is translated to upper case.

Important

Data is considered changed if a character is overtyped with a different character or the same character of a different case. Overtyping a lower case character with the same lower case character is not considered a change.

If caps mode is OFF, lowercase alphabetic data is left as is. Existing lowercase alphabetic data is displayed in lowercase.

The caps mode is retained from session to session in the user profile. You can change the setting at any time using the CAPS command within File-AID for IMS/ISPF. If you omit the operand, ON is assumed.

Important

File-AID for IMS/DC prevents unintended IMS upper case translation by specifying ‘GRAPHIC= NO’ on the SEG statement in the MFS. This allows File-AID for IMS/DC to control when upper case translation is performed by using the CAPS command which minimizes the inadvertent translation of fields such as those containing numeric data. The MFS language utility states “If input segment data is in non-graphic format (packed decimal, EGCS, binary, and so forth), GRAPHIC=NO should be specified.” Specifying ‘EDIT=UC’ on the TRANSACT macro will have no effect on upper case translation due to the ‘GRAPHIC=NO’ parameter in the MFS.

DBD Command

The DBD command (PF2/14) causes an immediate return to the DBD Member List screen. There are no operands associated with the DBD command.

END Command

The END command (PF3/15) terminates the current editing mode and returns control to the Data Base Location screen. There are no operands associated with the END command.

FORMAT, INDEX, and UNFORMAT Commands

You can enter the FORMAT, INDEX, and UNFORMAT commands from any of the three editing modes.

The FORMAT command causes a switch to the formatted editing mode from the Unformatted or Index editing modes.

The UNFORMAT command causes a switch to the Unformatted editing mode.

The INDEX command causes a switch to the Index editing mode.

When you switch to the index editing mode,File-AID for IMS positions the current segment occurrence (as viewed in formatted or unformatted) at the top of the screen body. Conversely, when you switch to formatted or unformatted from index, File-AID for IMS positions you on the segment at the top of the Index screen body. When you switch between formatted and unformatted, File-AID for IMSleaves you positioned on the current segment occurrence.

The FORMAT command can be abbreviated to FMT, and the UNFORMAT command can be abbreviated to UNFMT.

There are no operands associated with any of these commands.

KEY Command

You can change your position in a database from the current segment position to any other segment position using the KEY command.

If you enter the KEY command without a SEGMENT-NAME operand, the Key Specification screen is displayed based on your current hierarchical path and segment position. For example, if your current segment type is at the third level of the database, the Key Specification screen enables you to specify any key value for each segment type in the hierarchical path to that current segment type.

When you use the SEGMENT-NAME operand with the KEY command, the segment name you enter must be one that is defined in the primary DBD you entered on the Data Base Specification screen. The Key Specification screen displayed is based on the current hierarchical path and the position of the segment whose name you entered within the database hierarchy.

For example, assume your current segment type is on the second hierarchical level of a database and you enter the KEY command with the name of a segment type that is on the fourth hierarchical level. Although the current hierarchical path extends only as far as the second level in the database, the Key Specification screen enables you to specify key values down to and including the specified segment type on the fourth level.

See to here for a detailed explanation and examples of how to use the Key Specification screen.

When you complete the Key Specification screen for the new segment you want, the segment is retrieved from the database and you are returned to the editing mode from which you entered the KEY command. The new segment becomes the current segment position.

The KEY command is not supported when you browse an HSAM or SHSAM database.

MENU Command

The MENU command (PF1/13) causes an immediate return to the Primary Option Menu. There are no operands associated with the MENU command.

PARENT Command

The PARENT command (PF9/21) enables you to change your position in a database from the current segment position to any higher-level segment in the current hierarchical path.

If you enter the PARENT command without the SEGMENT-NAME operand, the immediate parent of the current segment is retrieved and becomes the new current segment.

If you specify the SEGMENT-NAME operand with the PARENT command, the segment named must be a hierarchical parent of the current segment. The parent you specify is retrieved and becomes the new current segment.

If the parent segment name you specify is not defined in the primary DBD or is not a hierarchical parent of the current segment, an error is returned.

The PARENT command is invalid when the current segment occurrence is a root segment type.

See to here for information on how the PARENT command is affected by nonkeyed and nonunique segments.

RETURN Command

The RETURN command causes an immediate return to the DBD Member List screen or to the option specified, if any. For example, if you enter RETURN =1 or =1 from the Formatted screen, the next screen displayed is the DBD Member List screen in Browse mode.

ROOT Command

The ROOT command enables you to change your position in a database from the current segment position to either the root segment in the current hierarchical path or the first root segment in the database.

If you enter the ROOT command without the FIRST operand, File-AID for IMS retrieves the root segment in the current hierarchical path. Adding the FIRST operand to the ROOT command causes File-AID for IMS to retrieve the first root segment occurrence in the database.

Refer on how the ROOT command is affected by nonkeyed and nonunique segments.