Use the function keys and command line with the ISPF control panels on z/OS

To use the panels, we must use the function keys or enter the equivalent commands in the ISPF control panel command area.


Function keys

The function keys have special settings for IBM MQ . (This means that we cannot use the ISPF default values for the function keys; if you have previously used the KEYLIST OFF ISPF command anywhere, we must type KEYLIST ON in the command area of any operations and control panel and then press Enter to enable the IBM MQ settings.)

These function key settings can be displayed on the panels, as shown in Figure 1. If the settings are not shown, type PFSHOW in the command area of any operations and control panel and then press Enter. To remove the display of the settings, use the command PFSHOW OFF.

The function key settings in the operations and control panels conform to CUA standards. Although we can change the key setting through normal ISPF procedures (such as the KEYLIST utility), we are not recommended to do so. Note: Using the PFSHOW and KEYLIST commands affects any other logical ISPF screens that we have, and their settings remain when you leave the operations and control panels.

    Processing your actions
    Press Enter to carry out the action requested on a panel. The information from the panel is sent to the queue manager for processing.

    Each time you press Enter in the panels, IBM MQ generates one or more operator messages. If the operation was successful, you get confirmation message CSQ9022I, otherwise you get some error messages.

    Display IBM MQ user messages
    Press function key F10 in any panel to see the IBM MQ user messages.

    Canceling your actions
    On the initial panel, both F3 and F12 exit the operations and control panels and return you to ISPF. No information is sent to the queue manager. On any other panel, press function keys F3 or F12 to leave the current panel ignoring any data you have typed since last pressing Enter. Again, no information is sent to the queue manager.

    • F3 takes you straight back to the initial panel.
    • F12 takes you back to the previous panel.

    Getting help
    Each panel has help panels associated with it. The help panels use the ISPF protocols:

    • Press function key F1 on any panel to see general help (extended help) about the task.
    • Press function key F1 with the cursor on any field to see specific help about that field.
    • Press function key F5 from any field help panel to get the general help.
    • Press function key F3 to return to the base panel, that is, the panel from which you pressed function key F1.
    • Press function key F6 from any help panel to get help about the function keys.

    If the help information carries on into a second or subsequent pages, a More indicator is displayed in the upper-right of the panel. Use these function keys to navigate through the help pages:

    • F11 to get to the next help page (if there is one).
    • F10 to get back to the previous help page (if there is one).


Use the command line

You never need to use the command line to issue the commands used by the operations and control panels because they are available from function keys. The command line is provided to allow you to enter normal ISPF commands (like PFSHOW).

The ISPF command PANELID ON displays the name of the current CSQOREXX panel.

The command line is initially displayed in the default position at the bottom of the panels, regardless of what ISPF settings you have. We can use the SETTINGS ISPF command from any of the operations and control panels to change the position of the command line. The settings are remembered for subsequent sessions with the operations and control panels.

Parent topic: Operations and control panels for IBM MQ for z/OS