Maintain Messages in the TSO Broadcast Dataset

TSO supports notice messages – messages displayed to all users during logon to TSO. These messages are stored in the notices section of dataset SYS1.BRODCAST. This dataset is a direct access dataset and cannot be edited. The only way to add or delete broadcast messages is by using MVS SEND commands – one command for each line to be added or deleted.

This solution provides an easy method by which the system administrator can maintain messages in the notices section of SYS1.BRODCAST. The system administrator simply edits the messages in a sequential dataset and issues a special user- defined operator command that triggers the Command rule described below.

This Command rule clears the notices section of the broadcast dataset and initiates a KOA script to read the dataset containing the message. Each message is passed to another rule that issues a corresponding MVS SEND operator command in order to save the message in the notices section of SYS1.BRODCAST.