PASSWORD command with a semicolon in the password gives an error on CA Workload Automation ESP Edition system

Products

• ESP Workload Automation

Issue/Introduction

Windows id and password type nt_job used everytime and using semicolon gives an error

Getting invalid character 

Environment

Release : ANY ESP release

Component : CA ESP WORKLOAD AUTOMATION

Cause

The reason it does not like the ;(semi-colon) is that semi-colon is defined as the default command delimiter for ISPF.  

Resolution

The reason it does not like the ;(semi-colon) is that semi-colon is defined as the default command delimiter for ISPF.  It can be changed temporarily. 

1) Go to the main ISPF panel >> option 0. Change the "Command delimiter" :(semi-colon) to something else. I made it a colon

2) Go to Pagemode and Issue the command with tick marks around the password PASSWORD DEFINE USER(FFF) Password('fff;f')    note: there is a semi-colon in there.

Additional Information

Remember to change back your ISPF defaults.