ISPF

Interactive System Productivity Facility ( ISPF ) is a user interface for 3270 -based TSO terminals in the IBM mainframe computers under the operating system z / OS and its predecessors (OS/390, MVS ).

ISPF consists of a dialogue manager, the Program Development Facility (PDF), as well as the Software Configuration and Library Manager ( SCLM ).

The dialogue manager makes it possible to develop their own interactive 3270 applications. The APIs can be used both in programming languages ​​such as Assembler, COBOL, PL / I, C as well as in scripting languages ​​( REXX CLIST ).

The Development Facility program contains utilities for data center operations and tools for program development. The central feature is the convenient editor.

SCLM is included with ISPF thus of z / OS and is a tool for source control, build management and release automation. It also allows the selective auditing and versioning of changes to application programs and build results.

The built- in ISPF text editor allows you to edit PS and PO datasets with record format F, FB, V, VB. The editor is operated by control commands, line commands and function keys. It is also possible to write your own macros. This must be the time of execution in the SysExec or SYSPROC library or when loading modules in the STEPLIB or LINK LIST. Additional products also allow the editing of VSAM data sets.

Part of ISPF is a workstation client running under Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT/2000, AIX, HP- UX, OS / 2 and Solaris. This can optionally edit host files using a workstation editor or edit conversely ASCII files in the file system of the workstation with the ISPF editor. Moreover, it is thus possible to perform using the ISPF commands WS any programs or scripts on the workstation.

The predecessor of ISPF, SPF (Structured Programming Facility) was developed in the seventies and was able to prevail against numerous existing competitors, of which the RPF is only for users of the emulator Hercules still of importance.

There were attempts by various manufacturers, to port the ISPF editor on other platforms. A version existed for MS -DOS, the progressive already could edit files that were larger than the available memory. CTC sells SPF / SE for Windows while Uneclipse with SPF / UX offers a version for Unix.