Preload List Maintenance

This function only applies to buffer pools of type Natural and the message pool.

Preload List Maintenance is used to maintain preload lists. In a preload list, you can specify the names of Natural objects or Natural messages that are to be loaded into the buffer pool or message pool when it is initialized.

The source code of a preload list is stored as a Natural source object of the type Text in the Natural system library SYSBPM. The first line of a preload list source contains the comment **BPL** (buffer pool preload list) or **MPL** (message pool preload list).

For further information on the preload list, see the relevant section in Natural Buffer Pool or Message Buffer Pool in the Operations documentation.

Start of instruction set To invoke Preload List Maintenance

  • In the SYSBPM Main Menu, enter B, C or * to select a Natural buffer pool or M to select a message pool and the following function code:

    P

    Or:
    Enter one of the following SYSBPM direct commands:

    PRELOADLIST to invoke the menu for Natural objects

    or

    MPRELOADLIST to invoke the menu for Natural messages

    The Preload List Maintenance menu appears.

The functions provided in the Preload List Maintenance menu are explained in the following section. This section also provides information on additional preload list maintenance functions.


List Preload Lists

This function invokes the List Preload Lists screen which displays a list of all existing preload lists.

Start of instruction set To invoke List Preload Lists

  • In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code L and the name of a preload list. Asterisk (*) notation is also allowed for a preload list name.

    Or:
    Enter one of the following SYSBPM direct commands:

    LIST PRELOADLIST list-name to list preload lists containing Natural objects

    or

    LIST MPRELOADLIST list-name to list preload lists containing Natural messages

    Asterisk (*) notation is also allowed for list-name.

    The List Preload Lists screen appears.

For a list of available line commands, enter a question mark (?) in the leftmost screen column (prefix information).

For a list of commands that can be entered in the command line of the List Preload Lists screen, invoke the Help window by entering a question mark (?) in the command line. If required, press PF7 to scroll backward and PF8 to scroll forward in the window.

Edit Preload List

This function invokes the Edit Preload List screen where you can create a new preload list, add objects to an existing list or delete objects from it.

Important:
The editing functions provided on the Edit Preload List screen are a subset of the functions provided by the Software AG Editor (described in the Editors documentation). Therefore, before you start a Natural session to edit a preload list, set the Natural profile parameter EDPSIZE to a value greater than 0 (zero); see also Profile Parameters in the Parameter Reference documentation. We recommend that you set EDPSIZE to a minimum of 100.

For a list of available line commands, enter a question mark (?) in the leftmost screen column (prefix information).

For a list of commands that can be entered in the command line of the Edit Preload List screen, invoke the Help window by entering a question mark (?) in the command line. If required, press PF7 to scroll backward and PF8 to scroll forward in the window.

This section covers the following topics:

Creating Preload Lists

Start of instruction set To create a preload list

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, perform the following steps:

    • Enter function code E.

    • Clear the contents of the field Preload List Name, that is, do not enter the name of a preload list.

    • In the fields Library and Objects, leave the default asterisk (*).

    The Edit Preload List screen appears.

    • For Natural Objects
      In the relevant input fields, enter the name of the library where the objects are stored, the names of the objects and the corresponding database IDs (DBID) and file numbers (FNR).

      If DBID and FNR are left unspecified, a default setting is provided by the current system file FUSER or FNAT in libraries whose names start with SYS (except the library SYSTEM).

      The resident flag will be set to Y (Yes) in column R on the editing screen if no value is entered. Resident means that the object is not deleted from the buffer pool, not even if its Use Count changes to 0 (zero). (Use Count corresponds to Current Use Count described in Directory Information.)

    • For Messages
      In the relevant input fields, enter the name of the library where the user messages are stored (a blank for Natural system messages), the numbers of the messages (this field cannot be left unspecified), the corresponding database IDs (DBID) and file numbers (FNR), the code page and the language code.

      If DBID and FNR are left unspecified, default values are provided during the preload process by the current system file FUSER or FNAT in libraries whose names start with SYS (except the library SYSTEM). If no messages are found on FUSER or FNAT, search is extended to steplibs.

      If Code Page is left unspecified, a default code page is provided by the session code page during the preload process.

      If Language Code is left unspecified, a default language is provided by the system variable *LANGUAGE during the preload process.

  2. To save the preload list as a source object of type Text in the library SYSBPM, enter the following command in the command line:

    SA set-name

See also Generate Preload List from Buffer Pool.

Modifying Preload Lists

Start of instruction set To add a new object to a preload list

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code E and the name of a preload list.

    Or:
    On the List Preload Lists screen, in the leftmost column, next to the preload list required, enter the following line command:

    E

    Or:
    Enter the following SYSBPM direct command:

    EDIT PRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing Natural objects, or

    EDIT MPRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing messages.

    The Edit Preload List screen appears with the specified preload list.

  2. Complete the input fields as described in step 2 in Creating Preload Lists.

  3. Enter your modifications in preload list you have selected.

  4. To save the modifications, in the command line of the Edit Preload List screen, enter the following:

    SA

Start of instruction set To modify an object of a preload list

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code E, a library name and the name of a preload list.

    Or:
    On the List Preload Lists screen, in the leftmost column, next to the preload list required, enter the following line command:

    E

    Or:
    Enter the following SYSBPM direct command:

    EDIT PRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing Natural objects, or

    EDIT MPRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing messages.

    Or:

    The Edit Preload List screen appears with the specified preload list.

  2. In the relevant input field(s), replace the existing entries with new values. The same rules are applied as described in step 2 in Creating Preload Lists.

  3. To save the modifications, in the command line of the Edit Preload List screen, enter the following:

    SA

Start of instruction set To delete an object from a preload list

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code E, a library name and the name of a preload list.

    Or:
    On the List Preload Lists screen, in the leftmost column, next to the preload list(s) required, enter the following line command:

    E

    Or:
    Enter the following SYSBPM direct command:

    EDIT PRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing Natural objects, or

    EDIT MPRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing messages.

    The Edit Preload List screen appears with the specified preload list.

  2. In the leftmost column, next to the object required, enter the following line command:

    D

    The specified object is removed from the preload list.

  3. To save the modification, in the command line of the Edit Preload List screen, enter the following:

    SA

Generate Preload List

Generate Preload List from Buffer Pool

This function is used to generate a new preload list by using the names of the objects currently loaded in the buffer pool. From the objects that are currently in the buffer pool, you can select those you wish to be included in the preload list.

Start of instruction set To generate a preload list, use either of the following options:

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code G and the name of a preload list. In the fields Library, Objects, Resident, Use Count and Total Use Count, specify the objects to be included in the list:

    • To include all objects that are currently in the buffer pool, enter an asterisk (*) in the fields Library, Objects and Resident, and leave the fields Use Count and Total Use Count blank.

    • Or:
      To include specified objects in the buffer pool, in the fields described below, you can enter the following values:

      Library A single name or asterisk (*) notation.
      Objects A single name or asterisk (*) notation.
      Resident An asterisk (*) for all objects or Y (Yes) for all objects currently marked as resident in the buffer pool.
      Use Count A numeric start value (>), for example >10. Selects all objects with a Use Count greater than or equal to value.

      This field corresponds to Current Use Count described in Directory Information.

      Total Use Count A numeric start value (>), for example >10. Selects all objects with a Total Use Count greater than or equal to value.

      This field corresponds to BP Total Use described in Directory Information.

  2. Enter either of the following SYSBPM direct commands:

    GENERATE PRELOADLIST list-name

    or

    GENERATE PRELOADLIST list-name gen-library

    (See also the explanations of field values above).

    A message appears confirming that the preload list was generated from the buffer pool.

All preload list objects will be generated as resident (entry Y in column R) by default. Choose manually, which objects you want to remove from the list.

Objects from the library SYSBPM will not be included in the generated preload list as it can be assumed that these are objects which were only loaded into the buffer pool in order to execute this function.

Generate Preload List from Message Buffer Pool

This function is used to generate a new preload list by using the names of the objects currently loaded in the message pool. From the objects that are currently in the message pool, you can select those you wish to be included in the preload list.

Start of instruction set To generate a preload list, use either of the following options:

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code G and the name of a preload list. In the fields Library, Message, DBID, FNR, Language Code and Code Page, specify the messages to be included in the list:

    • To include all messages that are currently in the message pool, enter an asterisk (*) in the Library field, enter 1 - 9999 in the Message Number field, 0 in the fields DBID, FNR and Language Code, and leave the field Code Page unspecified.

    • Or:
      To include specified messages in the message pool, in the fields described below, you can enter the following values:

      Message Number Two numbers between 1 and 9999, in ascending order.
      Library A single name or asterisk (*) notation.
      DBID A numeric value between 0 and 65535, where 0 means all messages.
      FNR A numeric value between 0 and 5000, where 0 means all messages.
      Language Code A numeric value between 1 and 60.
      Code Page A single name or blank for all values.
  2. Enter either of the following SYSBPM direct commands:

    GENERATE MPRELOADLIST list-name

    or

    GENERATE MPRELOADLIST  list-name start-number end-number gen-library language dbid fnr codepage 

    (See also the explanations of field values above).

    A message appears confirming that the preload list was generated from the message pool.

Delete Preload List

Start of instruction set To delete a preload list

  1. In the Preload List Maintenance menu, enter function code L and the name of a preload list.

    Or:
    Enter the following SYSBPM direct command:

    LIST PRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing Natural object, or

    LIST MPRELOADLIST list-name

    for a preload list containing messages.

    Or:

    LIST MPRELOADLIST list-name

    The List Preload Lists screen appears.

  2. In the leftmost column, next to the object required, enter the following line command:

    D

    The DELETE window appears.

  3. Confirm the deletion by entering the name of the preload list.

    A confirmation message appears.

Additional Maintenance Functions with Utilities

The Natural utilities SYSMAIN and Object Handler provide additional functions for maintaining preload lists. Functions include transferring preload lists between different Natural libraries and system files and/or different mainframe platforms and deleting or finding preload lists in a different environment.

When using a Natural utility, a preload lists is treated like any other source object of the type Text.

For details, refer to the relevant sections in the Utilities documentation.