Re: Suggestion for a new System Request option

Hi, Steve:

I kind of like his idea, personally.  But be that as it may, continuing
your thought:

So you're saying that if you don't want to end the request, then simply end
the job ... or the subsystem ... or (GASP!) re-IPL the system??!?!  Doesn't
that seem a tad harsh, when all you want to do is stop a search?

Dennis





"Steve Landess" <steve_landess@hotmail.com>@midrange.com on 12/11/2002
03:15:29 PM

Please respond to midrange-l@midrange.com

Sent by:    midrange-l-admin@midrange.com


To:    <midrange-l@midrange.com>
cc:
Subject:    Re: Suggestion for a new System Request option


Assuming that this is an RPG program, why not use the SHTDN operation in
the
program?  This is an easy way to do a controlled shutdown of a program.

SHTDN will tell you if:
 1) the system has been ended {ENDSBS SBS(*ALL) OPTION(*CNTRLD)},
2) the subsystem that the job is running in has been ended {ENDSBS
SBS(YOURSBS) OPTION(*CNTRLD)},
3) OR if an ENDJOB OPTION(*CNTRLD) has been issued against a running job.

When I need to make a program perform an orderly shutdown, this is the
technique that I use.

I also make sure that the system administrator/operator knows that they
should FIRST use the controlled end option (on these commands) and wait 5
minutes or so before issuing the immediate option.  This gives the program
time to shut itself down before the system/subsystem ends...

Steve Landess
Austin, Texas
(512) 423-0935


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan" <dbcemid@yahoo.com>
To: <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: Suggestion for a new System Request option


> Seeing as I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for IBM to do anything with
> this, even if you submitted a proper request, I'd suggest another way.
>
> There are ways for one job to access another job's QTEMP library.  This
> gets under the covers a bit and I'm not certain whether the technique
> uses supported APIs.  But I have seen the MI guys talking about this.
>
> So, assuming you can get access to another job's QTEMP, you *should* be
> able to accomplish pretty much what you're asking for.  Not as easy as
> a Systems-Request thingy, but more flexible, as you'd be able to use
> this in batch jobs as well.
>
> HTH, Dan
>
> --- Albert York wrote:
> > >The System/36 used to have an option on the system request menu
> > which was
> > >called something like 'Set latch flag'. All it did was turn on an
> > indicator
> > >that you could test in your program. Then your program could take
> > the
> > >appropriate action. I used it for ending long searches for example.
> > I would
> > >really like to see something like that on the AS/400. Right now the
> > only
> > >choice we have is to end the whole program, which is pretty heavy
> > handed.
> > >
> > >Here is what I suggest.
> > >
> > >1.      In your program, create a data area in QTEMP with a name
> > like
> > >QSYSRQSOPT. It would be 51 bytes long. The first 50 bytes would
> > contain a
> > >description (i.e. 'End Search').
> > >2.      When the user presses System Request the description is
> > displayed as
> > >an option.
> > >3.      If the option is taken then the last byte of the data area
> > is set to
> > >'1'.
> > >4.      Your program could check the data area periodically. If the
> > flag is
> > >set then it is time to cancel what it is doing.
> > >
> > >It seems like this wouldn't be too difficult to implement.
> > >
> > >Albert York
>