IMS Version 9

/FORMAT

Format

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-+-/FORMAT-+--modname--+------------------+--+------+--------><
   '-/FOR----'           '-LTERM--ltermname-'  '-data-'

Environments and Keywords

Table 61 lists the environments (DB/DC, DBCTL, and DCCTL) from which the command and keyword can be issued.

Table 61. Valid Environments for the /FORMAT Command and Keyword
Command / Keyword DB/DC DBCTL DCCTL
/FORMAT X X
LTERM X X

Usage

/FORMAT causes a specific format to be displayed on a physical terminal using the IMS Message Format Service (MFS). The displayed format is used by IMS in processing the next input from the formatted terminal.

Using a password with /FORMAT is not valid.

/FORMAT, where an IMS-supplied default modname is used, is not effective for a 3270 master terminal that uses the MFS master terminal formatting option.

Recommendation: If a format is lost during a conversation, do not use the /FORMAT command to restore the format. Instead, enter a /HOLD command followed by a /RELEASE command to display the first physical page of the current message and restore the format.

modname
Specifies the name of the message output descriptor (MOD) to be used to format the terminal.
LTERM
Specifies the name of the logical terminal to be formatted. LTERM is required when a terminal other than the input terminal is to be formatted. If LTERM is not specified, the input physical terminal must have at least one LTERM assigned.

If the ltermname does not exist, an attempt is made to create the lterm and associated user structure. The command creates this structure by queueing the format and data, if any exists, to the terminal as if it were a message. This process is similar to a message switch, a message insert, or a /BROADCAST LTERM, all of which queue a message to an LTERM.

The format request is rejected if the specified LTERM is:

In an IMSplex, /FORMAT LTERM can be used to queue a format to an LTERM that is not active or that is active on any IMS in the IMSplex.

data
Is a string consisting of 1 to 8 characters to be inserted into the output message created for the terminal being formatted. Since MFS treats the data as application program output data, the data string can be used to select a logical page (LPAGE) within the requested MOD. The way the selection is performed is determined by the requested MOD's LPAGE definitions.

Example for /FORMAT Command

Remote Terminal entry:

 /FORMAT DFSMO4
 /BROADCAST LTERM WTOR (eos)
 this is segment 1 (eos)
 this is segment 2 (eos)
 this is segment 3 (eom)

Response ET:

  DFS058I  BROADCAST COMMAND COMPLETED

Response RT:

 THIS IS SEGMENT 1
 THIS IS SEGMENT 2
 THIS IS SEGMENT 3

Explanation: The remote terminal is first formatted by the /FORMAT command, where default format DFSMO4 supports the input of 4 segments. This is followed by /BROADCAST with four segments.

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Copyright: IBM Corporation 1974, 2004 Copyright IBM Corporation 1974, 2004  timestamp Last updated: March, 2004