Module 3: TSO Jobs

TSO- Jobs

TSO is interactive, but production work on the mainframe runs as batch jobs. TSO lets you submit a dataset or PDS member as a background job, check its status, cancel it if needed, and view its output — all from the READY prompt.

Writing the JCL first

A job is submitted from a dataset or PDS member containing JCL (Job Control Language).
Store your JCL in a PDS member, for example 'FSS094.JCL.CNTL(JOB1)', so you can resubmit it easily.
Every job needs a JOB card with your userid or an account number, plus EXEC and DD statements.

//FSS094A JOB (ACCT),'TEST JOB',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X,NOTIFY=FSS094
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IEFBR14
//DD1 DD DSN=FSS094.TEST.DATA,DISP=(NEW,CATLG),
// SPACE=(TRK,(1,1)),UNIT=SYSDA,DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80)

The SUBMIT command

SUBMIT sends a dataset or PDS member to JES as a background job.
TSO replies with the job name and a job id (for example JOB00012) that you need for the other commands.
The JOBCHAR operand changes the first character of the generated job name.

READY
SUBMIT 'FSS094.JCL.CNTL(JOB1)'
IKJ56250I JOB FSS094A(JOB00012) SUBMITTED
READY
SUBMIT 'FSS094.JCL.CNTL' JOBCHAR(A)
IKJ56250I JOB AFSS094A(JOB00013) SUBMITTED

The STATUS command

STATUS shows where your jobs are: on the input queue, executing, or on the output queue.
STATUS alone lists all your jobs. Give a job name and job id for detail on one job.
The origin field tells you which queue the job is in.

READY
STATUS
JOBNAME JOBID OWNER STATUS CLASS
FSS094A JOB00012 FSS094 OUTPUT A
READY
STATUS FSS094A(JOB00012)
JOBNAME JOBID OWNER STATUS CLASS
FSS094A JOB00012 FSS094 EXECUTION A

The CANCEL command

CANCEL stops a job that is waiting or executing.
You can cancel with the job name and job id, or with just the job name if it is unique.
The PURGE operand also removes the job's output from the spool.

READY
CANCEL FSS094A(JOB00012)
IKJ56247I JOB FSS094A(JOB00012) CANCELLED
READY
CANCEL FSS094A PURGE

The OUTPUT command

OUTPUT displays the spooled output of a finished job on your TSO screen.
Use DEST and CLASS operands to control which output you see.
KEEP leaves the output on the queue; without it, the output is removed after display.

READY
OUTPUT FSS094A(JOB00012)
********************************* TOP OF DATA **********************************
1IEF142I FSS094A STEP1 - STEP WAS EXECUTED - COND CODE 0000
******************************** BOTTOM OF DATA ********************************
READY
OUTPUT FSS094A(JOB00012) KEEP

Using SDSF from TSO

SDSF (System Display and Search Facility) is the full-screen way to watch jobs.
Type SDSF at the READY prompt to open it, then use ST for status, I for the input queue and O for the output queue.
Inside SDSF you can also cancel jobs (C line command) and browse output (S line command).

READY
SDSF

Reading return codes

COND CODE 0000 in the output means the step ran cleanly.
COND CODE 0004 is a warning, 0008 and 0012 usually mean errors worth investigating.
JCL errors show as JCL ERROR or FLUSHED before any step runs; fix the JCL and resubmit.

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