ISPF tips

Here are few ISPF tips.

TIP # 001
Lets start with a generic and simpler one. Consider that you are editing a file/program and you want to know the changes you have done since the last SAVE command. How to find that?
Answer:
Give COMPARE SESSION on the command line Further use of COMPARE commands... - Can be used like 3.13 option

TIP # 002
Usually the PDS or PS bears the ID of the creator or the ID of the person who modified it recently.But is it possible to change these ID values without leaving trace of one?s own ID?
Answer: Yes its possible! In the command area against the member name or PS name, by giving ?G?. Dialog box will pop up allowing you to change the ID values.

TIP # 003
Suppose you are in a ISPF Screen and want to know in which TSO Region ( Development, Production, or other TSO regions) you are now .
Answer: Issue on the command line : SAREA
ISPF STATISTICS Pop-up window will show you the region( and other info too)

TIP # 004
Any command entered in the COMMAND LINE disappears after the successful execution of its intended function. If you want to repeat the same command , you got to re-type it or use some PF key to retrieve the last command entered.
But here is a cool method the make the command entered not to disappear and stay on the screen.
Precede commands with '& ' For Example: Code:COMMAND ===> &C '110-PARA' '220-PARA' SCROLL ===> CSR
****** ************************ TOP OF DATA **************
000001 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
000002 PROGRAM-ID. COBOLSAMY.
000003 DATE-WRITTEN. APRIL 2004.
After the execution of the command, the below command stays on the screen.
This way you can entering the same command or modifying the command a little and using it multiple times.

TIP # 005
While trying to open any member in a PDS, we sometimes come across "member in use" message. In that situation, if you want to know who is using the member currently, press F1 twice.

TIP # 006
We usual search for members in a PDS by the first string of the members.
Consider this situation .
I have a PDS and I want to search it for member only by middle string of the members. e.g. there are some members like BESTJCL1,RESTJCL2,PESTCBL1, BESTCBL2, WESTCBL3,TESTASM1,BESTASM2...etc I want to find members which have CBL in them. How can I search and find these members?
Answer: Use ISPF 4.12 option. Specify the dataset to be searched and the pattern of the string. Specify the LANG type as COB And select the browse option.

TIP # 007
How can I find the last 10 datasets that I have accessed ?
Answer:
1.GO TO ISPF 3.4 option.
2. On the top, there is a MENUBAR. Select REFLIST
3. Select Option 1 in it.
Using this option you can find out the last 30 datasets that you have accessed....

TIP # 008
Alternate to SuperCE Option(3.13) is to use the macro COMPARE . Use this when you there is less difference between the two files.
1.Open a DSN in EDIT or VIEW Mode
2. On the Command line , issue COMP 'YOUR.SECOND.COMPARISON.DSN'
3. If you want only the changes to be listed, issue COMP
'YOUR.SECOND.COMPARISON.DSN' EXC

TIP # 009 While Browsing Internet, we have some cool option called address autocomplete?we enter some letters in the address bar and the browser auto completes it with the closest guess. Does MAINFRAME has the same feature??
Answer:
Yes! It has ?Autocomplete? feature!!! How to use it?
1.go to ISPF 3.4 ,
2. enter KEYS in the command line,KEYS window will popup
3. set any key to AUTOTYPE, save and exit
4. now type any Dataset partially and press the assigned PFkey!!
Note: It will not retrieve GDGs and VSAM files.

TIP # 010
I want to find a member but I don?t know the PDS to which it belongs. I only know the high level qualifier of the PDS.
Answer:
For example, lets consider high level Qualifier as MYID.MYAPPLN.* and member as MYMEM
1. Go to 3.4 and list all PDS with MYID.MYAPPLN.*
2. Now issue, MEMBER MYMEM on the command lineHere are few ISPF tips.

I will be back with some more tips and tricks.. till that time, stay tuned