Introduction

TSO (Time Sharing Option) and ISPF (Interactive System Productivity Facility) are essential components of IBM mainframe environments, commonly used by programmers and system administrators. TSO provides a command-line interface to interact with the mainframe, while ISPF offers a full-screen interactive environment for enhanced productivity. While both TSO and ISPF are primarily designed for interactive usage, there are ways to run them in batch mode. In this article, we’ll explore the possibilities of running TSO and ISPF in batch mode, the considerations to keep in mind, and provide examples to illustrate these concepts.

Part 1: Running TSO in Batch

TSO is an interactive operating system that allows users to access various services and applications on IBM mainframes. Typically, users log in to TSO interactively, issue commands, and receive responses in real-time. However, in certain scenarios, running TSO in batch mode can be useful for automating tasks or performing operations that do not require interactive user input.

To run TSO in batch mode, you can use the TSO batch utility program, IKJEFT01 (IKJEFT01 is a common convention for this utility on IBM mainframes). This utility allows you to submit TSO commands and programs as batch jobs.

Example 1: Submitting TSO Commands in Batch

//TSOBATCH JOB (ACCT),'RUN TSO COMMANDS',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSPRT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSIN DD * 
  TSO MYTSOCOMMAND1 
  TSO MYTSOCOMMAND2 
/* 

In this example, a JCL job named TSOBATCH is submitted. The IKJEFT01 utility is executed as a program (using EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01) to run TSO commands (MYTSOCOMMAND1 and MYTSOCOMMAND2) in batch mode.

Example 2: Submitting a TSO Program in Batch

//TSOBATCH JOB (ACCT),'RUN TSO PROGRAM',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X 
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01 
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSPRT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSIN DD DSN=MY.TSO.PROGRAM,DISP=SHR 
/* 

In this example, a JCL job named TSOBATCH is submitted. The IKJEFT01 utility is executed as a program, and the TSO program (MY.TSO.PROGRAM) is executed in batch mode.

Part 2: Running ISPF in Batch

ISPF is an interactive environment that provides a full-screen interface with menus and panels for interacting with the mainframe system. Users can perform a wide range of tasks, such as editing files, managing datasets, and submitting batch jobs, using ISPF.

While ISPF is designed for interactive use, there are limited scenarios where you may want to run certain ISPF functions in batch mode. One such scenario is when you need to submit batch jobs that interact with ISPF panels or perform actions typically done interactively.

To run ISPF functions in batch mode, you can use the ISPF batch utility program, IKJEFT01, similar to running TSO in batch mode.

Example 3: Submitting ISPF Panels in Batch

//ISPFJOB JOB (ACCT),'RUN ISPF PANELS',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01 
//SYSTSPRT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSIN DD * 
  ISPSTART PANEL(MYISPF.PANEL1) 
  ISPSTART PANEL(MYISPF.PANEL2) 
/* 

In this example, a JCL job named ISPFJOB is submitted. The IKJEFT01 utility is executed as a program to run ISPF panels (MYISPF.PANEL1 and MYISPF.PANEL2) in batch mode using the ISPSTART command.

Example 4: Submitting ISPF Edit Session in Batch

//ISPFJOB JOB (ACCT),'RUN ISPF EDIT',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X 
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01 
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* 
//SYSTSIN DD * 
  ISPSTART CMD(EDIT 'MY.DATASET') 
  SAVE 
  END 
/* 

In this example, a JCL job named ISPFJOB is submitted. The IKJEFT01 utility is executed as a program to initiate an ISPF edit session on the dataset ‘MY.DATASET’ in batch mode using the ISPSTART command. The SAVE command saves the changes, and the END command exits the edit session.

Considerations and Limitations

While running TSO and ISPF in batch mode can be beneficial in specific scenarios, it is essential to consider the following limitations and best practices:

1. Interaction: Batch mode lacks the interactivity of the usual TSO and ISPF environment. Therefore, interactive prompts or user inputs will not be available.
2. Security: Running TSO and ISPF functions in batch mode requires appropriate authorization. Ensure that only authorized users have access to the batch jobs and resources.
3. Dataset Availability: Ensure that all datasets and resources required by the batch jobs are available and properly allocated before submission.
4. Error Handling: In batch mode, it is crucial to include error handling and recovery mechanisms in the JCL or scripts to handle any unexpected issues that may arise during execution.
5. Scheduling: Batch jobs should be scheduled appropriately to avoid conflicts with interactive users and other batch jobs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while TSO and ISPF are primarily designed for interactive use, they can be run in batch mode using the IKJEFT01 utility. Running TSO and ISPF in batch can be beneficial for automating tasks, performing non-interactive operations, or submitting batch jobs that interact with ISPF panels. However, it is essential to consider the limitations and follow best practices to ensure a smooth and secure execution of batch jobs. By leveraging batch processing in TSO and ISPF, mainframe developers and administrators can enhance productivity and streamline routine tasks in their IBM mainframe environments.