PyMVSBatch Manual

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.