IBM Mainframe Forum

by **Mirco** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:27 pm

Hello all,

I found a strange problem with the ISPEXEC command "DISPLAY PANEL". Situation: we have a Rexx exec that displays a panel. Afterwards it checks entered data and under some circumstances it creates a popup (by "ADDPOPUP" command) and displays the panel again. Normally, this works fine. I can press Enter or F3, the subsequent code is always performed the right way and the error popup is displayed. But when I use the ISPF jump function ( =something on the command line) or the Return command, which should, from the exec perspective, look exactly like the END command, no popup and no panels are displayed anymore. It is not a matter of branching in the exec, the execution reaches the "ADDPOPUP" and "DISPLAY PANEL" commands, but they are simply ignored. I get the same RC as normally, but see no panels.

So the question is: what could cause such suppression of panels and how to prevent it?

Thanks.

by **Robert Sample** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:43 pm

From the ISPF User's Guide Vol 1, it appears the behavior you are seeing is exactly as expected:

4.1.3 Using the jump function

The jump function allows you to go directly to any valid option from the primary option menu currently in effect. See z/OS ISPF Dialog Developer's Guide and Reference for information about coding primary option menus. To use the jump function, enter the option on the command line or in the command field of any panel, preceded by an equal sign and followed by a blank. For example:

Command ===> =3.1

takes you directly to the first suboption of option 3 on the primary option menu in effect.

The action is as follows:

* If not entered on a primary option menu, the jump function causes repeated END commands to be simulated until a primary option menu is encountered. What follows the equal sign is then used on the primary option menu, and pressing of the Enter key is simulated. The primary option menu is not displayed.

* If entered on a primary option menu, the jump function equal sign is ignored and the specified option is selected.

Unlike the RETURN command, the jump function is not affected by nested dialogs. For example, from the ISPF Edit option, you enter a HELP command to enter the tutorial. Then from the tutorial, you enter =1. This causes the tutorial to end, Edit to end, and primary option 1 to be started.

by **Mirco** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:26 pm

OK, so it simulates End on every panel that would appear (except they don't appear) until it reaches the primary option menu and then simulates entering the option. Thank you very much, this is exactly what I needed to know!

IBM Mainframe Forum

Why panels don't display?

Why panels don't display?

Re: Why panels don't display?

Re: Why panels don't display?