Testing AutoEdit Syntax

When Control-M detects an AutoEdit syntax error in a JCL member during submission, the submission is canceled by Control-M. Therefore, it is essential to check the syntax of AutoEdit statements while the member is being prepared.

Furthermore, when the syntax is correct, you may want to verify that the AutoEdit statements return the desired results. For example, you may want to check that you specified the correct AutoEdit date variables for a job that performs end-of-year processing.

The CTMAESIM utility tests AutoEdit syntax and JCL setup. This utility simulates the actions of the Control-M submission mechanism, which performs AutoEdit processing and JCL setup, and produces a printed report of the process.

Control-M has a customized interface with the JOB/SCAN and PRO/JCL products. However, this utility can be used with any JCL-checking product.

The CTMAESIM utility can operate in either JCL Library mode or Scheduling Library mode:

• In JCL Library mode, the utility checks the AutoEdit statements in the job’s JCL.
• In Scheduling Library mode, the utility not only checks the AutoEdit statements in the job’s JCL of the job, it also checks the impact that SET VAR statements in the job scheduling definition have on the JCL of the job.

The utility enables system programmers to check the operation of Control-M submission exit CTMX002 without affecting production.

The CTMAESIM utility can be activated by a batch procedure or the Online facility, as follows:

• Batch procedure – using procedure CTMAESIM
• Online facility – using option M2 in the Online Utilities menu or using CLIST CTMCAES

The utility requires specification of various parameter statements that determine how the simulation works, and which provide necessary information for the simulation.

Although the simulation works in much the same manner whether activated by a batch procedure or online, the following differences depend on the method of activation:

• Batch activation allows specification of multiple sets of parameter statements. Online activation allows specification of only one set of parameter statements.
• Batch activation allows inclusion or omission of parameter RDR=INTRDR (described below). This parameter cannot be specified online.
• Command JSCAN (available only at sites where JOB/SCAN or PRO/JCL is installed) can only be specified if the utility is activated through the Online Utilities menu. It cannot be specified if the utility is activated by batch or by CLIST CTMCAES.
• Character masking is not supported in the Online utility. In the batch utility, character masking is supported for the member name in JCL Library mode, and for the job name in Scheduling Library mode. Valid mask characters are:
  • * – Represents any number of characters (including no characters)
  • ? – Represents any one character
• The SET VAR parameter, which can be specified outside the job scheduling definition, is supported in batch mode only. However, SET VAR statements in the job scheduling definition can be checked in both online and batch mode.
• The Control-M GLOBAL LIBRARY parameter is specified only in the Online utility, and only one library can be specified. In batch mode, global libraries are referenced by the DAGLOBAL DD statement (multiple libraries can be concatenated).

In addition, depending on the command type specified in a parameter statement, the resulting JCL lines can also be written to the output file referenced by the DASUBMIT DD statement.

When the JCL is written to the output file referenced by the DASUBMIT DD statement, the output file can be routed to an internal reader by specifying the parameter RDR=INTRDR in the EXEC statement. In this case, the DASUBMIT DD statement is allocated as SYSOUT=(class,INTRDR) and the job is submitted.

Submission of the job enables the JCL to be checked by the JCL checking mechanism of MVS.

Note: A DASUBMIT DD statement can also be used by the AutoEdit Simulation facility to submit jobs for execution in emergency situations (for example, the Control-M monitor is inoperative due to a severe technical problem).

When activated using ISPF, the functioning of the utility is similar to its functioning when activated from batch with the parameter RDR=INTRDR specified.

The CTMAESIM utility, as activated from the Online facility, is described in Online Facilities. The CTMAESIM utility, as activated through a batch procedure, is described in the INCONTROL for z/OS Utilities Guide.