Issuing commands

WebSphere MQ for z/OS supports MQSC commands, which can be issued from the following sources:

• The z/OS console or equivalent (such as SDSF/TSO).

• The initialization input data sets.

• The supplied batch utility, CSQUTIL, processing a list of commands in a sequential data set.

• A suitably authorized application, by sending a command as a message to the command input queue. The application can be any of the following:

  • A batch region program

  • A CICS application

  • An IMS application

  • A TSO application

  • An application program or utility on another WebSphere MQ system

Table 11 summarizes the MQSC commands and the sources from which they can be issued.

Much of the functionality of these commands is available in a user-friendly way from the WebSphere MQ for z/OS operations and controls panels.

Changes made to the resource definitions of a queue manager using the commands (directly or indirectly) are preserved across restarts of the WebSphere MQ subsystem.

WebSphere MQ for z/OS also supports Programmable Command Format (PCF) commands. These simplify the creation of applications for the administration of WebSphere MQ. MQSC commands are in human-readable text form, whereas PCF enables applications to create requests and read the replies without having to parse text strings. Like MQSC commands, applications issue PCF commands by sending them as messages to the command input queue. For more information about using PCF commands and for details of the commands, see the WebSphere MQ Programmable Command Formats and Administration Interface book.