Using activation groups

I was wondering how people are defining activation groups.  We originally 
planned 
to use *CALLER for all programs and service programs and set the activation 
group 
based on our menu interface program.  Depending on environment and authority we 
call an interface program from our menu.  We intended to assign our activation 
group 
based on the interface program's activation group.  In this way we could 
completely 
separate test/production and payroll/financials/other.  We didn't think about 
QCMD 
and PDM.  Quite a bit of testing goes on where calls are made from these 
programs.  

We have four options at this point.  1.  Get IBM to allow a dynamic activation 
group. 
Highly unlikely.  2. Specify an activation group on all of our programs.  All 
programs 
would have to be duplicated in test/production environment.  3.  Create a new 
interface 
program that would be called when testing that would use our menu interface 
program 
to complete the call.  This requires out programmers to be more disciplined.  
4. Some 
option we haven't thought of yet.  This requires 

How have you dealt with this?    An option to specify ACTGRP(*CALLER/*NEW if 
caller default) would be perfect.  Of primary concern is the ability to prevent 
test and 
production environments from overlapping.  Secondary is the ability to install 
a change 
(requiring a triggered RCLACTGRP) during business hours.  The least important 
is the 
ability to reclaim resources as users switch between job area.   Being able to 
assume 
the menu program is a boundary is also nice to have.

Thanks

David Morris
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                             
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