IOF Maintenance Dialog

• Introduction
• Cumulative Maintenance File
• Updates Data Set
• Invoking the Maintenance Dialog
• Maintenance Dialog Functions
• Summary

Introduction

The maintenance dialog was improved, and it's appearance changed in release 7J.  Depending on the version of  IOF you are running, some of the panels may be slightly different from the panels shown.

All IOF maintenance, including superzaps, is now applied and managed by the maintenance dialog.

Cumulative Maintenance File

Instructions for downloading the cumulative fix file are given below.  First you  should allocate a cumulative maintenance data set on OS/390 as shown on the ISPF 3.2 menu below.  The "prefix" should be the same top level that is used for the IOF distribution data sets.
 

Allocate New Data Set Command ===> Data Set Name  . . . : prefix.IOF8GFIX.CFX Management class . . . (Blank for default management class) Storage class . . . . (Blank for default storage class) Volume serial . . . . (Blank for system default volume) ** Device type . . . . . (Generic unit or device address) ** Data class . . . . . . (Blank for default data class) Space units . . . . . CYLS (BLKS, TRKS, CYLS, KB, MB, BYTES or RECORDS) Average record unit (M, K, or U) Primary quantity . . 1 (In above units) Secondary quantity 1 (In above units) Directory blocks . . 0 (Zero for sequential data set) * Record format . . . . FB Record length . . . . 80 Block size . . . . . 0 Data set name type : (LIBRARY, HFS, PDS, or blank) *

You can download the cumulative fix file using the FTP command, or you can download using your web browser. Note that the download logon has changed. The tags and file names shown below are case sensitive, and must be entered exactly as shown. To download via FTP:

         URL: ftp.triangle-systems.com
        User: download@triangle-systems.com    <<<< note that the user and password
    Password: IOF                                        <<<< have changed
   Directory: download                                   <<<< You don't need to change the directory
      Format: binary
        File: iof8gfix.cfx  (8G)
              iof8ffix.cfx  (8F)
	      iof8efix.cfx  (8E)
              iof8dfix.cfx  (8D)
              iof8cfix.cfx  (8C)
              iof8bfix.cfx  (8B)
              iof8afix.cfx  (8A)
                           

After downloading to the PC, file transfer the cfx file to the OS/390 data set. Be sure to specify BINARY format when doing the file transfer from the PC to the OS/390 system.

We  recommend that you download a new copy of the cumulative maintenance occasionally. The fixes contained in the file are cumulative,  so the file will grow larger over time.  Downloading and receiving a newer cumulative file will not affect the status of any older fixes that have already been applied.

Updates Data Set

The maintenance dialog receives fixes from the cumulative maintenance file into the UPDATES data set.  You may also receive special or optional fixes by email or fax. Use the ISPF editor to add these fixes to the UPDATES dataset as directed by the email or fax cover letter.
 
 

Invoking the Maintenance Dialog

 The IOF/TSO maintenance dialog can also be invoked from ISPF Option 6 if IOF has not yet been generated or will not run.  Specify the fully qualified data set name of the IOF/TSO  INSTALL data set with member name "VFIX", enclosed in single quotes.
 

ISPF Command Shell                             Enter TSO or Workstation commands below:    ===> ex 'prefix.ioft8g0.install(vfix)'

The maintenance dialog must be invoked for IOF/CICS from ISPF Option 6.  Specify the IOF/CICS INSTALL data set name.

Both the "MAINT" command, and ISPF Option 6 will cause the  IOF Product Maintenance Dialog   panel to be displayed.
 
 

--------------- IOF Product Maintenance Dialog ----------------------------- COMMAND ===> This dialog applies and manages all IOF product maintenance, including superzaps. Each corrective fix must first be loaded into the IOF UPDATES library. Use the dialog RECEIVE function to load cumulative maintenance fixes into the UPDATES library. Individual fixes received by email should be copied into the UPDATES library with the fix name as the member name. UPDATES DSNAME ===> prefix.IOFT8G0.UPDATES Overtype the UPDATES DSNAME above if you are not using standard IOF data set naming conventions. ENTER -continue, END -terminate the dialog

Verify the product UPDATES library name on this panel. Correct the DSNAME if you use non-standard IOF data set names. Then press ENTER to display the IOF Product Maintenance Dialog Option Menu .  The dialog menu for release J is shown below.  This menu has a different style in earlier releases of IOF.

----------- IOF Product Maintenance Dialog Option Menu -------------------- OPTION ===> Select an option from the list below: 1 - Display a menu of available fixes and fix status. Fixes can be browsed or applied from this menu. 2 - Receive additional maintenance from an IOF cumulative maintenance (CUMFIX) file into the UPDATES data set. 3 - Browse IOF maintenance logs. 4 - Browse problem description index of all available fixes in the UPDATES data set 5 - Specify dialog options. END - Terminate the dialog (PF3)

Maintenance Dialog Functions

--------------- IOF Maintenance Receive DSName ----------------------------
COMMAND ===>

  The RECEIVE process copies all new fixes from the cumulative
  fix file to your IOF UPDATES library. You should have
  previously downloaded the cumulative fix file from the web
  page at:

      http://www.triangle-systems.com/fixes.shtml


  CUMDSN ===> prefix.IOF8GFIX.CFX

  Specify the fully qualified cumulative fix DSName above.

  ENTER  - continue                 END  - terminate Receive

Specify the data set name of the cumulative fixes data set you previously downloaded from this web page. The receive process will expand the cumulative fixes data set and copy applicable members to the UPDATES data set. Fixes that have previously been applied will not be overlaid.

Select "1" to display the UPDATES Dataset Member List, which shows the status of all fixes in the UPDATES data set. Specific fixes can be browsed or selected to be applied from this panel.  For releases prior to release 7J, use option "A".

-------------- UPDATES Dataset Normal Fix Member List ----------- Row 1 of 33 COMMAND ===> Scroll ===> CSR Enter OPT to alternate between normal and optional fixes Line Commands : S - Select fix to be applied B - Browse Cmd-Fix Nbr--Status---Received----Applied------------User-----Comments-------- _ U8G2765 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2766 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2767 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2768 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2769 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2770 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ T8G2771 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ U8G2772 Applied 2020/11/11 2020/11/11 10:24 IOFSPIN _ T8G2773 Applied 2020/11/09 2020/11/09 15:58 IOFSPIN _ U8G2799 Applied 2020/11/12 2020/12/01 05:45 SPPGMR

The panel above shows ten IOF 8G fixes. Fixes lhave all been applied

One or more fixes can be selected to be applied from this menu. "RC 0" will be displayed in the comments field for each fix that applies correctly. If an error is encountered in applying a fix, a popup window will be displayed and the bad return code will be displayed in the comments field.

Notice that optional fixes are not displayed.  To display optional fixes, enter the "OPT" command.  Enter "OPT" again to re-display normal fixes.

Select "I" to display an index of all of the fixes in the UPDATES dataset. The index is a quick way to read the descriptions of all received and applied fixes.

A maintenance log is created for each IOF Maintenence Dialog session. Select "L" to display a browse entry panel for maintenance logs. Detailed maintenance history is kept in the log.

After applying maintenance to IOF data sets, one or more IOF generation jobs may need to be run in order to apply the maintenance to the running IOF system. If so, a window will be displayed when you exit the maintenance dialog showing the required generation jobs and specific run order. A copy of this information is also added to the maintenance session log.

Summary

The IOF distribution MPI files occasionally will be refreshed by applying maintenance to the IOF distribution data sets. This process is called a new SPIN level. All fixes applied to a SPIN level will be included in the distributed UPDATES dataset and flagged as applied. A userid of IOFSPIN indicates that a fix was applied as part of the MPI spin level build process.

We recommend that you occasionally download the cumulative maintenance file, receive the fixes, and apply any new fixes.