This topic describes the general format for an IMS classic command.
The slash (/) is the command recognition character for IMS commands. In a DBCTL environment, another character can be defined as the command recognition character and would replace the slash.
The /VERB (such as /STOP) is the first command element and identifies the action to be taken. To abbreviate a verb, use only the slash and the first three characters. Enter the characters using either uppercase or lowercase letters.
IMS keywords are reserved words identifying IMS resources that relate to transaction management, databases, or the IMS system. Many commands require one or more keywords.
Table 13 is a list of available keywords and their synonyms. The alphabetical list of keywords after Table 13 explains the use of the keyword for each IMS command it affects.
Restriction: Keywords and their synonyms are reserved words. Do not use reserved words to name system resources such as transactions, programs, logical terminals, databases, and MFS block names.
Keywords are shown in uppercase. The keyword or an allowable synonym can be entered in uppercase or lowercase.
Parameters refer to installation defined or created resources, such as nodes, databases, or pterms, or IMS reserved parameters. Parameters in IMS commands must be replaced with parameter values. Reserved parameters have a unique meaning to IMS and refer to system resources or functions.
The format of the parameters that can be entered is determined by the command and keyword with which they are associated. Use the syntax example provided at the beginning of each command description in IMS Commands to determine the valid parameter formats for that command.
When commands are entered, parameters are separated from a keyword by a space or an equal sign (=). Multiple parameters are separated by a comma, a blank, or a comma followed by a blank. The last parameter of one keyword is separated from the next keyword either by a space, a comma, or an equal sign.
Default parameters appear above the syntax line. Optional parameters appear below the syntax line.
In the syntax examples, a repeat-line is shown as follows:
.-----------. V | >>---parameter-+-----------------------------------------------><
The repeat-line indicates that multiple parameters can be entered. To save time while entering multiple parameters for the LINE, PTERM, NODE, and LINK keywords, inclusive parameters can be specified in some commands.
Restriction: Use of the ALL parameter, generic parameters, or excessive use of multiple or inclusive parameters in the large terminal network can cause some of the following problems:
The resources you define, such as nodes, pterms, and databases, may be referenced as parameter values in IMS commands. Do not use reserved words to name these resources, or IMS may not interpret the command as expected. For example, if you define a node called TKOTRA and issue a /DISPLAY NODE TKOTRA command, IMS will list all the nodes that have an attribute of TKOTRA, instead of the specific node named TKOTRA. List of Reserved Words contains a table of the reserved words for IMS commands. These include all keywords, null words, attributes for various forms of the /DISPLAY command, and IMS reserved parameters OFF, MSDB, PRIMARY, NONE and ALL.
Entering the reserved parameter ALL specifies all defined resources related to that keyword. ALL cannot be used with every command.
ALL=NO or ALL=DIS can be specified on the KEYWD macro to prevent use of the ALL parameter. ALL=NO and ALL=DIS can be specified for all keywords. ALL=NO indicates that the ALL parameter is invalid on all the commands for the keyword. ALL=DIS indicates the ALL parameter is invalid on all the /DISPLAY commands for the keyword. For more information on the KEYWD macro, see IMS Version 9: Customization Guide.
Inclusive parameters are used to specify a group of parameters by entering only the first and last parameters of the group. Inclusive parameters can be used for the following resources:
To use inclusive parameters, enter the first parameter, a hyphen, then the last parameter (parameter1-parameter2).
For the LINE, PTERM, and LINK keywords, the group of parameters specified is assumed to be based on numeric sequence; that is, entering 3-6 specifies parameters 3, 4, 5, and 6. Inclusive parameters are limited to the PTERM keyword when it appears with the LINE keyword in a command. For the NODE keyword, the group of parameters must be static and based on the IMS definition sequence, not numeric or alphabetic sequence.
Generic parameters allow easy specification of a group of resources, whose names match the mask supplied by the generic parameter.
A generic parameter is a 1- to 8-character alphanumeric name that includes one or more special characters and an asterisk or a percent sign. An asterisk can be replaced by zero or one or more characters to create a valid resource name. A percent sign can be replaced by exactly one character to create a valid resource name.
The generic parameter is * = ALL. However, depending on the installation, other generic parameters can mean ALL. For example, the generic parameter %%%% means ALL to an installation whose resource names are all four characters long.
When a generic parameter is used, IMS uses a serial search of all resources to match the generic name. Using a serial search of all resources can have performance implications in larger systems.
Restriction: If you specify ALL=NO on the KEYWD macro, you cannot use *. However, if you specify ALL=NO on the KEYWD macro, you can use other generic parameters that are equivalent to ALL. If you are using BASIC EDIT, and you enter a command with a generic parameter containing two asterisks in a row at the end of the command, the command is discarded.
Generic parameter wildcard characters for IMSplex commands are the same as for classic commands. An asterisk (*) in the name can be specified to replace one or more characters in the command string. A percent sign (%) replaces one character.
|The commands listed in Table 1 support generic parameters for LTERM, MSNAME, NODE, |TRANSACTION, USER, USERID, NAME, and PROGRAM keywords.
Command | Keyword Supported |
---|---|
/BROADCAST | LTERM, NODE, USER |
/CHANGE | NODE |
/CLSDST | NODE |
/DISPLAY | LTERM, MSNAME, NODE, TRANSACTION, USER |
/DISPLAY ASMT | LTERM, MSNAME, NODE, USER |
/DISPLAY CONV | NODE, USER |
/IDLE | NODE |
/OPNDST | NODE |
/PSTOP | LTERM, TRANSACTION |
/PURGE | LTERM, MSNAME, TRANSACTION |
|QUERY AREA | NAME |
|QUERY DB | NAME |
|QUERY LE | LTERM, TRAN, USERID, PROGRAM |
|QUERY TRAN | NAME |
/RSTART | NODE, USER |
/START | LTERM, MSNAME, NODE, TRANSACTION, USER |
/STOP | LTERM, MSNAME, NODE, TRANSACTION, USER |
/TRACE | NODE |
|UPDATE AREA | NAME |
|UPDATE DB | NAME |
UPDATE TRAN | |NAME |
Restriction: Generic parameters are not supported in NODE, USER, or TRANSACTION CLASS combinations.
|A group parameter allows easy specification of a |group of resources, where the resources in the group are defined |and managed by the installation. Group parameters are supported |with the DATAGROUP keyword for the /DBRECOVERY, /START, /STOP, and UPDATE (type-2) commands. A group name is one to eight characters long. It |is associated with a list of databases, DEDB areas, or database data |sets.
A database group name and its associated databases or DEDB areas is defined in the DBRC RECON data set using the DBRC INIT.DBDSGRP command with parameters GRPNAME and DBGRP.
A database data set (DBDS) group name and its associated DBDSs is defined in the DBRC RECON data set using the DBRC INIT.DBDSGRP command with parameters GRPNAME and MEMBERS.
Use the CHANGE.DBDSGRP command with the GRPNAME and ADDDB parameters to add databases or areas to a database group.
Use the CHANGE.DBDSGRP command with the GRPNAME and ADDMEM parameters to add DBDSs to a DBDS group.
Use the CHANGE.DBDSGRP command with the GRPNAME and DELDB parameters to delete databases or areas from a database group.
Use the CHANGE.DBDSGRP command with the GRPNAME and DELMEM parameters to delete DBDSs from a DBDS group.
Use the LIST.DBDSGRP command or the online /RMLIST command to display the databases or areas in a database group, or the DBDSs in a DBDS group.
Groups defined for commands should contain only databases and areas for use with the DATAGROUP keyword.
|Null keywords are used to help clarify the syntax |of the command being entered but have no effect on the command. |Null keywords can be used within IMS commands at any time. However, |they cannot be used with type-2 commands. Null keywords are reserved |words. Do not use them to name system resources. The following are |IMS null keywords: |
|You can add comments or notes to the end of a command. When you add comments, identify the end of the command by entering a period after the last parameter. If you do not enter a period, residual data from a 3270 affects command processing.
| | |Depending on the password security arrangement of the |defined IMS system and the terminal where the command is entered, |a password can be required after the command verb, or after a parameter |or a keyword of certain commands.
|If a command password is required, it must be entered immediately |after /VERB and is normally enclosed in parentheses. No spaces or intervening |characters are allowed between the /VERB and the left parenthesis.
|When using MFS, if a command password is required, the installation-defined |MFS format must contain a defined password field. The password must |be entered into the password field defined by the format displayed. |If command entry field of the format is defined to accept the command |verb only, message DFS1051 is issued when an attempt is made to |enter /VERB(password).
|None of the IMS-supplied default formats (exception for the master |terminal format) have a password field defined.
|If a command is issued from a static terminal, you must use either |the Security Maintenance utility, RACF, or an equivalent security |product to require a command verb password. If a command is issued |from a dynamic terminal, you must use RACF or |an equivalent security product to require a command verb password |associated with the user ID signed on to the dynamic terminal.
|The /IAM, /LOCK, and /UNLOCK command keywords and parameters support passwords. Keyword |and parameter passwords are defined through the security maintenance |utility and only apply to static terminals. Keyword and parameter |passwords entered with a command on a dynamic terminal are ignored. Keyword |and parameter passwords entered with a command are also ignored |when the security maintenance utility is not used or the resource |is not defined with password security. This is also true for the /SET TRANSACTION and /SET CONVERSATION commands.
|The use of passwords is not shown in the examples.