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Data set utilities

ISPF's data set utilities (3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6) from the z/OS Data Sets view, run as batch jobs: catalog and uncatalog, compress, free unused space, migrate, delete without recall, print, move and submit, and ISPF line commands.

Verification state: modelled, not yet run on z/OS. The utilities run against modelled utilities in the local test server. Their control statements and messages are written from IBM's manuals and have not been checked on a z/OS system. The verification kit has steps for each utility (print only with a held print class, catalog only with a non-SMS volume, DFSMShsm only when enabled).

How the utilities run

Each utility runs as an ordinary batch job through the z/OSMF jobs interface, so it leaves an audit trail on the spool. The job's IEB, IEC, IDC, ADR, ARC, IKJ and IEF messages are shown in the result and in Problems.

Every change is confirmed, naming the system, and refused before any job for a data set matching neuralInverse.mainframe.readOnlyDatasets. Print, which only reads, is allowed on read-only data sets.

The commands

Right-click a data set, member or library in the z/OS Data Sets view.

CommandLine commandWhat runs
Catalog Data Set...C (on a catalog entry)IDCAMS DEFINE NONVSAM, or RECATALOG for SMS-managed data sets
Uncatalog Data SetUIDCAMS DELETE NOSCRATCH; the volume is named so you can catalog it again
Compress Data SetZIEBCOPY in place. A PDSE is refused with the reason
Free Unused SpaceFDFSMSdss RELEASE. Some sites restrict DFSMSdss to storage administrators
Migrate (HMIGRATE)HMIGRATEHMIGRATE in a batch TSO/E step
Delete Without Recall (HDELETE)HDELETEHDELETE in a batch TSO/E step
PrintPIEBGENER or IEBPTPCH for a data set, members or a whole library
Print Data Set ListXThe list of data sets, printed
Move ToM (member), MO (data set)Moved to another library or data set
Submit JobJThe member submitted as JCL, with the usual submit confirmation

Printing goes to neuralInverse.mainframe.print.sysoutClass (default A) and neuralInverse.mainframe.print.destination.

ISPF line commands

ISPF Line Command... on a data set or member offers ISPF's letters, as typed on an ISPF 3.4 list and its member list, and runs the matching command: the letters in the table above, and E (edit), D (delete), R (rename), C (copy a member), CO (copy a data set) and HRECALL (recall).

Last reviewed 18 October 2026View as Markdown

Data set utilities · Docs · Neural Inverse