PyMVSBatch Manual

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1. Getting Python

Go to the Python website and download and install the appropriate version of Python for your operating system.

2. Running the Program

You have your choice of a shell-like command-line interface, or a GUI.

  • For the GUI: invoke the file 'pymvsgui.py'.
  • For the CLI: invoke the file 'pymvscli.py'.

The GUI is fairly self-explanatory, except for the following:

  • Double-clicking on a file in the "JCL Files" box will submit it for fetch.
  • Double-clicking on a job in the "MVS" box will fetch and purge it.
  • Double-clicking on a job in the "Fetched Jobs" box will open it for viewing in a separate window.
  • The 'Put', 'Print', 'Purge', and 'Fetch' buttons will perform their respective operations on a group of highlighted items in their respective listboxes.

Help for the CLI is available from the shell prompt.

3. Configuration File

On startup, PyMVSBatch looks for a file named ".pymvsbatch" in your home directory. If this file does not exist, or you have not defined a HOME environment variable of some sort, or both, it provides the following defaults:

  • Working Directory: wherever you started PyMVSBatch from
  • Editor: MS-DOS edit on DOS/Win32; $VISUAL, $EDITOR, or if nothing else can be found, pico on Un*x

The configuration file has two possible commands:


editor <editor-name>
wd <working-directory>

4. Shell Commands

In the descriptions below:

  • <foo> indicates a required item
  • {foo | bar} indicates a required item with multiple choices
  • [foo] indicates an optional item.

In each case, do not include the grouping symbols when typing commands.

jobs

List jobs currently in the MVS hold queue.

put {file | glob}

Submit a file or group of files to MVS for fetch.

print {file | glob} <printer>

Submit a file or group of files to MVS for print.

fetch

Fetch and purge all outstanding jobs in the hold queue.

purge <jobname>

Purge a job in the hold queue.

cd <directory>

Change the current working directory.

dir [pathname]

Show contents of working directory, or of the specified path.

cleanup

Delete all job output files in the current directory.

user

Prompt for a new username and password to submit under.

{exit | quit | bye}

All three of these quit the program.

5. Bugs

They're probably there, but I haven't found them yet.

6. Features To Be Added

Lots.