Creating default table under XCOM for z/OS 12.0

Products

XCOM Data Transport XCOM Data Transport - z/OS

Issue/Introduction

In release XCOM™ Data Transport® for z/OS the ASM#TBLS member is no longer used. So, how to go about creating the default table under 12.0 so the started XCOM task picks up the default table?

Environment

Common Services for z/OS MVS 15.0
XCOM™ Data Transport® for z/OS 12.0

Cause

XCOM™ Data Transport® for z/OS 12.0 no longer gets its default and configuration settings from a load module or a load library. Instead, XCOM reads a PDS member (typically called XCOMDFLT and typically from the CBXGPARM library).

Resolution

When upgrading from a prior release of XCOM place a copy of the prior release's XCOM default load module into the 12.0 CBXGLOAD library "prior to" starting the XCOM r12.0 started task.

Upon starting the XCOM r12.0 started task for the very first time:

XCOM will read the prior release module out of the 12.0 CBXGLOAD library
Using those values XCOM will CREATE a new XCOMDFLT member into the CBXGPARM library.
This is pointed to by the //XCOMCNTL DD statement in the r12.0 XCOM started task proc.
This new XCOMDFLT member will include the new 12.0 parameters in text format.
Review these new parameters as you may want to take advantage of them under r12.0.

Going forward, the XCOM STC, XCOM panels and XCOM batch transfer jobs will read this new XCOMDFLT member out of the CBXGPARM library to determine the default parameter and configuration settings.

Additional Considerations

Reading the configuration settings out of a PDS member instead of out of a load module causes additional considerations for clients who do not have a XCOMCNTL dataset specified for their ISPF panels. And, for clients who do not have //XCOMCNTL DD statements coded in the JCL of the batch jobs that they use to perform file transfers.

Installation of the CONFIGDSN symbol

For clients who do not want to have to define a CNTL dataset for their ISPF panels or add //XCOMCNTL DD statements into all of their batch transfer jobs JCL, we recommend installation of the CONFIGDSN symbol using the CAIRIM job. Execution of Common Services CAIRIM loads the CONFIGDSN symbol as a structure that resides in MVS common storage where it is then available to the batch transfer jobs.

Loading of the configuration parameters into the structure

Review member FXC0RIM in the XCOM 12.0 CBXGSAMP library for sample JCL used to install the CONFIGDSN symbol. Execution of CAS9 with the control statements in the FXC0RIM member only loads the DATASET and MEMBER name into MVS common storage. It does NOT load the actual configuration parameters into common storage.
Permanently add loading the CONFIGDSN (FXC0INIT) to the normal CAIRIM/CAS9 process that runs on these LPARS at IPL time. Program CAIRIM with the command to run FXC0INIT needs to be run on each and every LPAR
If changes are made to the XCOMDFLT PDS member in the CBXGPARM library, the changes can be picked up by the XCOM STC by recycling the task

Changing the name of the LIBRARY or the name of the CONFIG MEMBER

Run RIM with PARM(DELETE), relevant to the CONFIGDSN, to delete the old library and member name out of common storage.
Run RIM again to add the NEW library and/or member name back into storage.

With Installation of the CONFIGDSN symbol into MVS storage under r12.0, if no XCOMCNTL dataset is specified for ISPF panel functions, the functions will still work normally since the XCOM STC and batch transfer jobs that do not have a //XCOMCNTL DD statement coded in their JCL will get their config settings from MVS storage.

Please refer to Configure the Default Options in the XCOM online documentation.

Additional Information

Here some additional samples:

//* 
// EXEC PGM=CAIRIM 
//PARMLIB DD * 
* 
* SAMPLE 1: CONFIGDSN + XCOMCNTL 
* 
* 
PRODUCT(CA-XCOM) VERSION(FXC0) INIT(FXC0INIT) - 
LOADLIB(xcomhlq.CBXGLOAD) - 
PARM("INIT,CONFIGDSN=XCOM.&SYSNAME..XCOMCNTL:XCOMCNTL") 

* 
* SAMPLE 2: CONFIGDSN(MEMBER) + XCOMCNTL 
* 
* 
PRODUCT(CA-XCOM) VERSION(FXC0) INIT(FXC0INIT) - 
LOADLIB(xcomhlq.CBXGLOAD) - 
PARM("INIT,CONFIGDSN=XCOM.&SYSNAME..XCOMCNTL(ABC):XCOMCNTL") 
*