Printing a dataset in mainframe.

[Mukesh Mistry]

We have a test mainframe printer in our project. Whenever I see a print going to it, there is a chaos. Someone would say some FTP error has occurred, some would say, call up support some would say there is wrong print. How do we ideally print a dataset to a mainframe printer. Do you use a some special JCL for it? If yes, can anyone of you please share it here?

[nicc]

I am so flabbergasted by this question and the idea of chaos just because a printer is printing that I am speechless and think that all the users of that printer should go on a basic zOS course.

[Robert Sample]

The only reason for there to be chaos when a mainframe print occurs is for the people to be massively under-trained.  I do have to agree with nicc in being flabbergasted that such a question is even raised.

How do we ideally print a dataset to a mainframe printer. Do you use a some special JCL for it? If yes, can anyone of you please share it here?

You are asking questions that you need to talk to your site support group about.  While there are some generalities about mainframe printing, a lot depends upon the site and what software is installed at the time.  For example, products such as IBM's InfoPrint and CA's CA-SPOOL handle mainframe printing so if one of them is installed at your site, you would use that product for printing.  There is no special JCL for printing -- usually having the DD statement have SYSOUT=? (where ? depends ENTIRELY upon the site) will route printout to a printer.  ? may be A, it may be some other character -- only your site support group can tell you for sure.

[Mukesh Mistry]

I agree to your statements. I'm in this project and my observation says that:

[ol][li]Most of us are undertrained in using the printer. We usually don't use it as it's a test printer but when there is a project for report generation it is used.[/li]
[li]The support guy for this printer is from windows support and does not much understand this connectivity issue it causes. But he is the only contact person and it's a pain in ass to talk to him.[/li][/ol]
I think there are some of the reasons why there is a chaos. Sometimes what happens there are some short cut keys which are assigned to the print commands. New users are given an old PC to work with. There old PCs have the new setup for new user but for 3270 emulator many a times the key-board configuration comes from some senior, the "key mapping". And thus unless you are aware that this key is mapped to print to mainframe printer, error happens.

Said all that not necessary details, do you think there can be a general JCL which can be used for printer?

[Robert Sample]

do you think there can be a general JCL which can be used for printer?

This will work and is pretty general:

Code: Select all

// EXEC PGM=IEBGENER,REGION=8M
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD DUMMY
//SYSUT1 DD DISP=SHR,DSN=<DATASET.TO.PRINT>
//SYSUT2 DD SYSOUT=A

This assumes that sysout class A is defined at your site to route to a printer, and that the data set to print does NOT have any packed decimal or binary values in it, and that you can add the step to whatever JCL you need (or add a JOB card if running stand-alone), and that you are NOT wanting to print to a printer with special features and functions, and that the data set to print is a sequential data set, and so forth -- in other words, lots of assumptions which must be verified at your site since printing is very site-specific.
Also, your last post talks about 3270 emulator keyboard mapping, which is an EXTREMELY different thing than printing. If the 3270 emulator keyboard mapping is set up to print with a certain function key, that has NOTHING to do with mainframe printing and everything to do with the 3270 emulator. And the 3270 emulators I've worked with are all different as far as keyboard mappings, so you would need to read the 3270 emulator software user's guide for details.

[AndDos]

Hi

There are numerous ways to print a mainframe dataset
1. printing directly to the central mainframe printer. This might involve sending data directly to the printer SYSOUT class, as in the JCL sample above, or routing it to that class via SDSF, EJES etc
2. a variant of the above where you specify a local printer id. The local printer will have been defined to the mainframe using VPS (VTAM Printer Support Service).
3. printing via a terminal emulator - Attachmate/Extra has such a feature
4. the LPR command, or edit macro that invokes it
5. others I have forgotten or not thought of!

Looking at previous posts it seems that option 3 is what is being used. My advice would be to find someone in the team who can print successfully from the emulator and get everyone else in line with that configuration. Create a one/two page in-house emulator print guide, distribute to the team and give it to new team members.

[Robert Sample]

AndDos, I think one of the problems here is that the TS has not really explained the issue(s).  There's been mention of printing from the emulator but also mention of JCL for printing -- which would NOT be used for emulator printing.  Without a clearer explanation of what is needed, we're just wasting our time guessing.

[Mukesh Mistry]

do you think there can be a general JCL which can be used for printer?

This will work and is pretty general:

Code: Select all

// EXEC PGM=IEBGENER,REGION=8M
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD DUMMY
//SYSUT1 DD DISP=SHR,DSN=<DATASET.TO.PRINT>
//SYSUT2 DD SYSOUT=A

This assumes that sysout class A is defined at your site to route to a printer, and that the data set to print does NOT have any packed decimal or binary values in it, and that you can add the step to whatever JCL you need (or add a JOB card if running stand-alone), and that you are NOT wanting to print to a printer with special features and functions, and that the data set to print is a sequential data set, and so forth -- in other words, lots of assumptions which must be verified at your site since printing is very site-specific.
Also, your last post talks about 3270 emulator keyboard mapping, which is an EXTREMELY different thing than printing.  If the 3270 emulator keyboard mapping is set up to print with a certain function key, that has NOTHING to do with mainframe printing and everything to do with the 3270 emulator.  And the 3270 emulators I've worked with are all different as far as keyboard mappings, so you would need to read the 3270 emulator software user's guide for details.

Thanks for the JCL. This is helpful and gives a direction.

[Mukesh Mistry]

Hi

There are numerous ways to print a mainframe dataset
1. printing directly to the central mainframe printer. This might involve sending data directly to the printer SYSOUT class, as in the JCL sample above, or routing it to that class via SDSF, EJES etc
2. a variant of the above where you specify a local printer id. The local printer will have been defined to the mainframe using VPS (VTAM Printer Support Service).
3. printing via a terminal emulator - Attachmate/Extra has such a feature
4. the LPR command, or edit macro that invokes it
5. others I have forgotten or not thought of!

Looking at previous posts it seems that option 3 is what is being used. My advice would be to find someone in the team who can print successfully from the emulator and get everyone else in line with that configuration. Create a one/two page in-house emulator print guide, distribute to the team and give it to new team members.

Thanks, these inputs are helpful. We'll keep these as reference for us as we prepare a check list to see in how many ways can a printer get initiated. So that we can stop the unnecessary chaos.

[Mukesh Mistry]

@Robert, actually we are trying to list down the ways to initiate a pritnt to printer. So that we can straqm line the proces sfor future. As AndDos said, "Create a one/two page in-house emulator print guide, distribute to the team and give it to new team members", we are in the proces sof creating something similar.