ISPF
Encyclopedia
In computing
, Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) is a software product for the z/OS
operating system that runs on IBM mainframe
s. It includes a screen editor
, the user interface
of which was emulated by some microcomputer editors sold commercially starting in the late 1980s, including SPFPC
.
ISPF primarily provides an IBM 3270
terminal interface
with a set of panels. Each panel may include menus and dialogs to run tools on the underlying Time Sharing Option
(TSO). Generally, these panels just provide a convenient interface to do tasks -- most of them execute modules of IBM mainframe utility programs
to do the actual work. ISPF is frequently used to manipulate z/OS
data set
s via its Program Development Facility (ISPF/PDF).
ISPF is user-extensible and it is often used as an application programming interface
. Many vendors have created products for z/OS
that use the ISPF interface.
An early version was called merely SPF and introduced in MVS
system. Originally this stood for Structured Programming Facility, since it was introduced about the same time as structured programming
concepts, but later the name was changed to System Productivity Facility.
ISPF can also be run from a z/OS
batch job.
operating system.
Such tools include
s.
Most mainframe software vendors used ISPF functions to create their applications, so their tools are similar in appearance and operation to ISPF. Similarly, many installations write their own informal tools that use ISPF services.
ISPF services are generally available to any programmer in the shop, and can be used to write panels for either personal or shop-wide use, writing in either compiled languages such as C
, COBOL
, PL/I
, or interpreted languages such as CLIST
and REXX
.
ISPF applications can be used to perform so-called "file tailoring" functions, customisation of specially crafted JCL
members called "skeletons".
The editor has several key functions:
The editor can also be invoked in a 'view' mode. It behaves like the editor, but does not allow saving the data.
ISPF provides the 'editor interface' which lets an application program display arbitrary data in the familiar editor panel.
It supports a set of 24 Function keys which, when pressed, execute commands. These are customisable: Each user can replace the default commands assigned to any key with his own preferred command (or series of commands). User settings are stored centrally, so that the user can logon from any terminal and the session will use their previously-saved choices. Most Personal computer
s copied this, and have a set of 12 function keys.
Even some defaults have endured: the F1 key triggers a "help" function on a large number of mainframe & PC
programs.
ISPF remembers each user's choices for such things as screen colors & layout, the location of the command line and scrolling preferences. It also remembers the last-used data set names on each panel, so the next time the panel is used the names are already filled in. This is very convenient for mainframe programmers because they frequently work with the same files repeatedly.
, which are still sold currently.
ISPF for z/OS provides a built-in downloadable client program that can install and run on Windows PCs and UNIX
workstations. This client program, called the ISPF Workstation Agent, communicates directly with ISPF on z/OS and provides a point-and-click graphical user interface
automatically.
The ISPF Workstation Agent can be used to edit PC based files from the ISPF editor to take advantage of the editor's strengths.
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
, Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) is a software product for the z/OS
Z/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
operating system that runs on IBM mainframe
IBM mainframe
IBM mainframes are large computer systems produced by IBM from 1952 to the present. During the 1960s and 1970s, the term mainframe computer was almost synonymous with IBM products due to their marketshare...
s. It includes a screen editor
Text editor
A text editor is a type of program used for editing plain text files.Text editors are often provided with operating systems or software development packages, and can be used to change configuration files and programming language source code....
, the user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
of which was emulated by some microcomputer editors sold commercially starting in the late 1980s, including SPFPC
SPFPC
SPFPC is a commercial file manager and text editor sold by Command Technology Corporation since the 1980s. SPFPC is similar to IBM's mainframe based ISPF. SPFPC v1.0 was released in June, 1984 and was not updated until v4.0 was released in 1994...
.
ISPF primarily provides an IBM 3270
IBM 3270
The IBM 3270 is a class of block oriented terminals made by IBM since 1972 normally used to communicate with IBM mainframes. As such, it was the successor to the IBM 2260 display terminal. Due to the text colour on the original models, these terminals are informally known as green screen terminals...
terminal interface
Interface (computer science)
In the field of computer science, an interface is a tool and concept that refers to a point of interaction between components, and is applicable at the level of both hardware and software...
with a set of panels. Each panel may include menus and dialogs to run tools on the underlying Time Sharing Option
Time Sharing Option
In computing, Time Sharing Option is an interactive time-sharing environment for IBM mainframe operating systems, including OS/360 MVT, OS/VS2 , MVS, OS/390, and z/OS.- Overview :TSO fulfills a similar purpose to Unix login sessions...
(TSO). Generally, these panels just provide a convenient interface to do tasks -- most of them execute modules of IBM mainframe utility programs
IBM mainframe utility programs
IBM mainframe utility programs are supplied with IBM mainframe operating systems such as MVS to carry out various tasks associated with datasets, etc.-History/Common JCL:...
to do the actual work. ISPF is frequently used to manipulate z/OS
Z/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
data set
Data set (IBM mainframe)
data set , dataset , is a computer file having a record organization. The term pertains to the IBM mainframe operating system line, starting with OS/360, and is still used by its successors, including the current z/OS. Those systems historically preferred this term over a file...
s via its Program Development Facility (ISPF/PDF).
ISPF is user-extensible and it is often used as an application programming interface
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
. Many vendors have created products for z/OS
Z/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
that use the ISPF interface.
An early version was called merely SPF and introduced in MVS
MVS
Multiple Virtual Storage, more commonly called MVS, was the most commonly used operating system on the System/370 and System/390 IBM mainframe computers...
system. Originally this stood for Structured Programming Facility, since it was introduced about the same time as structured programming
Structured programming
Structured programming is a programming paradigm aimed on improving the clarity, quality, and development time of a computer program by making extensive use of subroutines, block structures and for and while loops - in contrast to using simple tests and jumps such as the goto statement which could...
concepts, but later the name was changed to System Productivity Facility.
ISPF can also be run from a z/OS
Z/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
batch job.
ISPF/PDF Interactive Tools
When a user signs on to TSO they can start up ISPF/PDF. (The 'PDF' refers to Program Development Facility.) Through a menuing system this provides them access to many useful tools for application development and for administering the z/OSZ/OS
z/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
operating system.
Such tools include
- Browse - for viewing data setsData set (IBM mainframe)data set , dataset , is a computer file having a record organization. The term pertains to the IBM mainframe operating system line, starting with OS/360, and is still used by its successors, including the current z/OS. Those systems historically preferred this term over a file...
, Partitioned Data Set (PDS) members, and Unix System ServicesUNIX System ServicesUNIX System Services is a required, included component of z/OS. USS is a certified UNIX implementation optimized for mainframe architecture. It is the first UNIX 95 to not be derived from the AT&T source code...
files. - Edit - for editing data sets, PDS members, and Unix System Services files.
- Utilities - for performing data manipulation operations, such as:
- Data Set List - which allows the user to list and manipulate (copy, move, rename, print, catalog, delete, etc.) files (termed "data sets" in the z/OSZ/OSz/OS is a 64-bit operating system for mainframe computers, produced by IBM. It derives from and is the successor to OS/390, which in turn followed a string of MVS versions.Starting with earliest:*OS/VS2 Release 2 through Release 3.8...
environment). - Member List - for similar manipulations of members of PDSs.
- Search facilities for finding modules or text within members or data sets.
- Compare facilities for comparing members or data sets.
- Data Set List - which allows the user to list and manipulate (copy, move, rename, print, catalog, delete, etc.) files (termed "data sets" in the z/OS
- Library Management, including promoting and demoting program modules.
ISPF As A User-Interface Development Environment
Underlying ISPF/PDF is an extensive set of tools that allow application developers to create panel-driven applications, and a set of guidelines to promote consistent use of ISPF functions. A "panel" is a character-based "window" which can encompass all or part of a 3270 session's screen real estate. See Text User InterfaceText user interface
TUI short for: Text User Interface or Textual User Interface , is a retronym that was coined sometime after the invention of graphical user interfaces, to distinguish them from text-based user interfaces...
s.
Most mainframe software vendors used ISPF functions to create their applications, so their tools are similar in appearance and operation to ISPF. Similarly, many installations write their own informal tools that use ISPF services.
ISPF services are generally available to any programmer in the shop, and can be used to write panels for either personal or shop-wide use, writing in either compiled languages such as C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
, COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
, PL/I
PL/I
PL/I is a procedural, imperative computer programming language designed for scientific, engineering, business and systems programming applications...
, or interpreted languages such as CLIST
CLIST
CLIST is a procedural programming language for TSO in MVS systems. It originated in OS/360 Release 20 and has assumed a secondary role since the availability of Rexx in TSO/E Version 2....
and REXX
REXX
REXX is an interpreted programming language that was developed at IBM. It is a structured high-level programming language that was designed to be both easy to learn and easy to read...
.
ISPF applications can be used to perform so-called "file tailoring" functions, customisation of specially crafted JCL
Job Control Language
Job Control Language is a scripting language used on IBM mainframe operating systems to instruct the system on how to run a batch job or start a subsystem....
members called "skeletons".
ISPF Editor
The editor screen contains a command line where commands are issued. There is a six character line number column in the left margin with the remainder of the screen width being filled with the records of the dataset being edited. Line commands such as insert and delete are entered by over-typing in the line number fields.The editor has several key functions:
- Context sensitive color highlighting for several languages and file types
- editor macro commands in rexx or compiled languages
- comparison with another dataset
- models of ISPF service calls
- editing of PC based files
- recovery from lost sessions
The editor can also be invoked in a 'view' mode. It behaves like the editor, but does not allow saving the data.
ISPF provides the 'editor interface' which lets an application program display arbitrary data in the familiar editor panel.
ISPF Customisation
ISPF is designed to be customised for each user (a fairly new concept in 1974, when it was introduced).It supports a set of 24 Function keys which, when pressed, execute commands. These are customisable: Each user can replace the default commands assigned to any key with his own preferred command (or series of commands). User settings are stored centrally, so that the user can logon from any terminal and the session will use their previously-saved choices. Most Personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s copied this, and have a set of 12 function keys.
Even some defaults have endured: the F1 key triggers a "help" function on a large number of mainframe & PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
programs.
ISPF remembers each user's choices for such things as screen colors & layout, the location of the command line and scrolling preferences. It also remembers the last-used data set names on each panel, so the next time the panel is used the names are already filled in. This is very convenient for mainframe programmers because they frequently work with the same files repeatedly.
PC use
Many of the early users of PCs were mainframe programmers or users, who were accustomed to and liked the ISPF panel system. This led several companies to create versions of ISPF that run on Windows or Linux PC systems, for example SPFPCSPFPC
SPFPC is a commercial file manager and text editor sold by Command Technology Corporation since the 1980s. SPFPC is similar to IBM's mainframe based ISPF. SPFPC v1.0 was released in June, 1984 and was not updated until v4.0 was released in 1994...
, which are still sold currently.
ISPF for z/OS provides a built-in downloadable client program that can install and run on Windows PCs and UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
workstations. This client program, called the ISPF Workstation Agent, communicates directly with ISPF on z/OS and provides a point-and-click graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
automatically.
The ISPF Workstation Agent can be used to edit PC based files from the ISPF editor to take advantage of the editor's strengths.
See also
- ISRLEMXISRLEMXISRLEMX is the ISPF Member Expansion utility used in IBM mainframes....
, the ISPF Member Expansion utility that is used on IBM mainframes - Time Sharing OptionTime Sharing OptionIn computing, Time Sharing Option is an interactive time-sharing environment for IBM mainframe operating systems, including OS/360 MVT, OS/VS2 , MVS, OS/390, and z/OS.- Overview :TSO fulfills a similar purpose to Unix login sessions...
(TSO), usually used to run ISPF - SMIT, the built-in menu/panels program for AIX