Re: Applying Cumes

You can check the status of PTFs with the DSPPTF command (on the command line). This shows the PTFs for each program product. It may be easier to select the *PRINT option then review the printout (on your screen!). Some PTFs may show up as SAVF ONLY-- these are awaiting action. If there's something in the IPL ACTION (?) column, it usually means the PTF is set to apply the next time you perform an IPL of the system. Most PTF packages require an IPL.

I've just gone through a round of PTFs and downloads... here's what I noticed.

Note that although I use Fix Central to pick the PTFs, I normally use the command line commands to load and install them.

1-If you select the option to download directly to your system, the PTFs end up as save files in library QGPL. They're named QMFnnnnn or QSInnnnn. Normally, these are flagged as being from *SERVICE. If you LODPTF (program product name) *ALL from *SERVICE, it picks the information from these save files. You have to run the LODPTF and APYPTF commands for each program product.

In our case, we have 2 systems, so we use one of our home-built utilities to send the save files to our 'other' system. This migrates the PTF, but the 'raw' save file is no longer associated with *SERVICE. In this case, you have to LODPTF from the individual save files-- you have to LODPTF (program product name) *ALL *SAVF SAVF(QPGL/QMFnnnnn) [or QSInnnnn].

This can be a pain-- you have to do this for each save file individually. I sponged code from an API program I found online so I could poke at the save file and find out what library the info was saved from so I could load to the proper program product automatically.

2-There's another option that lets you download to a directory in the IFS as a file suitable for use in an Image Catalog. You then poke the right spots, and load the file as an image catalog entry, then use GO PTF option 8 to load from the image catalog. The file from the IFS can be migrated to other systems (if you have them).

3-There's a 3rd option that prepares an FTP download. I haven't used this one recently.

You can also 'trick' the system into mailing the PTFs on CD-- IIRC, you have to select FTP, then pick a very small value for Maximum Download Size (ie 50 meg or so). The system (usually) says that your order has been mailed.

At least one of the options uses work space on your PC (it might be all of them), so if you're using options 2 or 3 you need to have space for at least 1 CD's worth of data.

<RANT> If you're downloading a complete cume, that's 8 CDs of information-- 8x600-4.8 Gig. We also loaded a whole buncha group PTFs-- 13 CDs = 7.8 Gig. That's a LOT to download! (Yes, that's probably overkill-- and we select the option for all PTFs for multiple systems) But if you manage to get them shipped on CD, an attached note advises that the "preferred" method of obtaining PTFs is to download them. I think IBM needs to realize that even on a fast internet connection, downloading can take a LONG time! </RANT>

--Paul E Musselman
PaulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx