BSP - Beratung, Schulung, Projekte

RPF - It is not ISPF, but pretty close

Introduction

RPF is a TSO command processor written by Rob Prins, and it is in some aspects very similar to SPF. Also, while he holds the copyright to his work, he allows the hercules community to use and distribute it. The latest available Version for the Hercules community is currently RPF Version 1 Release 5 Modification 1

What is new in Release 1.5?

A few bugfixes, and some improvements to RPF useability

  1. Retrieve command added
  2. Dataset List support (option 3.4)
  3. 7 colour support
  4. Staus Area for output display expanded to 22 jobs

For more information see the included RPF User's guide or member RPFUGUID in the attached source library.

What is new in Release 1.4.2?

A few bugfixes, and some improvements to RPF useability

  1. The possibility to edit data with non-printables characters. It is not a hex edit, but you change the editable data without destroying the lines with non printables, so you edit data with e.g. object decks. In the former releases all the non-printable data was translated into colons.
  2. New inserted lines will be highlighted if they are empty. If data is entered in an inserted line the highlighting of that line will disappear. The empty inserted lines will not be saved or submitted. This is the way like VM XEDIT it does.
  3. The COPY command in EDIT is improved.
  4. You can specify the UNIT type in Alloc (option 3.1)
  5. RPFSTAT has got a new screen (option 0.0)
  6. The 'M' command is supported in the member selection list (scroll max).

What is new in Release 1.4.1?

Rob has implemented a few enhacement to increase useability of his fine program:

  1. Using the END command (PFK3) will now return you to the invoking screen, not to the main menu. This is true for
    • Browse (Option 1)
    • Edit (Option 2)
    • PDS Maintenance (Option 3.4)
  2. You can now select a member with the 'S member' command in the member selection list

What was new in Release 1.4?

  1. A few bug fixes
  2. RPFDATAU: Module deleted. Functions moved to RPFDATAL RPFDATAL: Dataset selection list implemented. Module will also be used for utility functions This list is a history of the last edited datasets and will be written in the RPF database if RPF exits. No conversion of the database is needed. RPF will just write a second record per user.
  3. RPFFIND: Find string matches if string is the same and can be entered in mixed case
  4. RPFPDS: Bug fixed if EDIT invoked and COPY command given
  5. RPFMAIN: SMF system id in main menu
  6. RPFEDIT: Save the data in the same dataset/member if the END subcommand has been given. Save only if the data has been changed (the ISPF way)
  7. CANCEL command added, with alias CAN to exit EDIT without saving the data.
  8. RPFLIB LIBRARIAN tape master files supported
  9. RPFBRO SUB(MIT) command added in Browse.

  10. What was new in Release 1.3?

    1. A few bug fixes
    2. RPFBRO introduced for browsing data RPFBRO has a lot of new commands.
    3. RPFASM has got a new screen
    4. The output of RPFASM will be browsed with RPFBRO and more assembles/links can be done without leaving the foreground assembler menu.
    5. RPFLIB (running librarian implemented) Option 3.5 is available. This is nice for people who have masterfiles of librarian (a product of ADR, later Computer Associates)
    6. RPFOUT output will be browsed with RPFBRO.
    7. The maclibs, assembler parm, linkage editor parm control statements will be saved in the RPF database

    If you are upgrading from RPF 1.2 you should note that the profile dataset in the new version is not compatible with the old profile dataset.

    Note that while Version 1.3 uses member RPFKEY01 of SYS1.PARMLIB, Version 1.4 uses member RPFKEY00 (as does Version 1.2)

    Please note that the record size of the rpf database has changed in version 1.3 from (1000 1000) to (1750 1750).

    Please note also that the PFK settings have changed. After starting RPF you should first go to the DEFAULTS menu and set the functions keys to the value you want

    Installation Checklist

    RPF is available as zip file and as compressed tar file. Both are identical in content. After you have downloaded the file you should expand it into any directory of your choice. It will contain the following files

    1. rpf151.het - a file containing an image of the installation tape
    2. rpf151.map - a mapping of the tape above
    3. rpf151.jcl - Job Control to load the tape to disk and install RPF 1.5.1
    4. rpf151.pdf - RPF User guide
    5. rpf151.html - this file

    Check the jcl in rpf151.JCL and adjust it to your needs (read the comments in the rpf151.jcl).

    Note that the installation JCL places the executable modules of RPF into SYS2.CMDLIB. If you don't want this to happen, change the IEBCOPY control statements before submitting the job

    Note that the RPF load library needs to be accessible via the master catalog if you want to place the RPF distribution load lib into the link list

    Mount the tape on a suitable tape drive via 

    devinit xxx {inst_dir}rpf151.het

    Run the job in rpf151.jcl via 

    devinit 00c {inst_dir}rpf151.jcl eof

    If you are installing RPF for the very first time, check, possibly modify, and run the job in member ZUM0001 in file RPF.V1R5M1.CNTL to make RPF, RPFMAIN, and RPFOUT authorized in TSO.

    Copy RPF into an existing link list library via RPF.V1R5M1.CNTL(COPYRPF)

    REIPL to activate the usermod ZUM0001. Do not forget to specify the CLPA option at IPL time. This is only necessary if you are installing RPF for the very first time.

    Logon to TSO and try out RPF.

    Enjoy your private hercules mainframe


    © Volker Bandke