Natural in Batch Mode under z/OS

This document contains special considerations that refer to Natural in batch mode under the operating system z/OS.

The section covers the following topics:

For considerations that refer to Natural in batch mode generally, see also:


Natural z/OS Batch Interface

The Natural z/OS batch interface consists of the NATOS object module which is linked to the Natural nucleus during the installation procedure for base Natural as described in the Installation for z/OS documentation.

You can customize the Natural z/OS batch interface to meet your requirements by changing the parameter settings in the NTOSP macro in the Natural parameter module during the appropriate installation step.

NATOS is fully reentrant and can run above the 16 MB line. Multiple Natural sessions can be started in parallel within one batch region; see Subtasking Session Support for Batch Environments.

Driver Parameters for z/OS Batch

For information on the driver parameters that are available for z/OS in batch mode, refer to the description of profile parameter OSP or parameter macro NTOSP in the Parameter Reference documentation.

Data Sets Used by Natural in z/OS Batch Mode

The following data sets are required if certain functions are used during a Natural z/OS batch mode session:

Data Set Explanation
CMEDIT Software AG Editor Work File
CMHCOPY Hardcopy Print Output
CMOBJIN Input for Natural INPUT Statements
CMPLOG Dynamic Profile Parameter Report Output
CMPRINT Primary Report Output
CMPRMIN Dynamic Profile Parameter Input
CMPRTnn Additional Reports 01-31
CMSYNIN Primary Command Input
CMTRACE External Trace Output
NATRJE Job Submit Output
STEPLIB Load Library for External Modules
CMWKFnn Work Files 01-32

These data sets are described below.

For sequential data output sets, the default DCB RECFM/LRECL information is as follows:

RECFM=FBA and LRECL=133

CMEDIT - Software AG Editor Work File

The Software AG Editor work file VSAM data set is required if a local or global Software AG editor buffer pool is to be used.

If not defined in the JCL, the name of the Editor work file specified by subparameter DSNAME of profile parameter EDBP or parameter macro NTEDBP is used by Natural to do the dynamic allocation for the Editor work file.

Alternatively, profile parameter EDPSIZE can be used to run with an auxiliary editor buffer pool, which doesn't require an editor work file. For more information about the installation of the Software AG editor, refer to Installing the Software AG Editor on z/OS in the Installation for z/OS documentation.

CMHCOPY - Optional Report Output for Hardcopy

The default name of the hardcopy print output data set is CMHCOPY. It can be changed by one of the following:

  • the subparameter DEST of profile parameter PRINT for Print File 0,

  • the profile parameter HCDEST, which is an equivalent of PRINT=((0),DEST=...),

  • the setting of the system variable *HARDCOPY during the session,

  • the terminal command %H during the session.

The subparameters of the profile parameter PRINT for Print File 0 can be used to change the default values for the hardcopy data set. The default data set name CMHCOPY implies CLOSE=FIN for the hardcopy print data set, that is, after the data set has been opened for output, any subsequent change of the hardcopy print output data set name will not be honored. If a different name is defined at open time, the hardcopy data set will be closed according to subparameter CLOSE of profile parameter PRINT for Print File 0.

During the session, the hardcopy data set can be released and reallocated (before open or after close) by the by dynamic allocation (via application programming interface USR2021N, see SYSEXT - Natural Application Programming Interfaces).

CMOBJIN - Input for Natural INPUT Statements

This data set can be used to read data by the Natural INPUT statement rather than from the primary input data set CMSYNIN.

The usage of CMOBJIN is controlled by the profile parameter OBJIN. The input record data length for Natural is determined by profile parameter SL. The maximum record length (LRECL) supported is 255. The record format (RECFM) can be fixed or variable.

CMPLOG - Dynamic Profile Parameter Report Output

If profile parameter PLOG=ON is set and data set CMPLOG is available, the evaluated dynamic profile parameters are written to this data set during session initialization. If data set CMPLOG is not available, the evaluated dynamic profile parameters are written to CMPRINT.

CMPRINT - Primary Report Output

CMPRINT is used for the primary output report resulting from DISPLAY, PRINT and WRITE statements in a Natural program.

The record format (RECFM) for CMPRINT is FBA. If no DCB information for LRECL is available from the data set or from the JCL, LRECL=133 will be used as default. If no DCB information for BLKSIZE is available from the data set or from the JCL, BLKSIZE will be 10 times the value of LRECL as default.

If not defined in JCL, CMPRINT will be allocated dynamically as

//CMPRINT DD SYSOUT=*

when the first record is to be written.

CMPRMIN - Dynamic Parameter Data Set

CMPRMIN can be used as a dynamic parameter data set to overcome the length restriction for the character string in the job control PARM keyword of the EXEC statement.

If available, this file is read during session initialization to get the dynamic profile parameters.

All input records from CMPRMIN are concatenated into one parameter string. Only the first 72 positions of each CMPRMIN record are significant. Trailing blanks at the end of each record are truncated; if the last non-blank character is a comma, all trailing blanks are truncated, otherwise just one blank is left as delimiter; no commas are inserted.

Additional dynamic parameters can be supplied using the job control PARM keyword. They are concatenated at the end of the parameter string which was built from the input of CMPRMIN, that is, these can be used to overwrite the parameters from CMPRMIN.

CMPRTnn - Additional Reports 01 - 31

These data sets can be used by Natural print file statements like WRITE (nn). If no DCB information (for example, RECFM, LRECL, BLKSIZE) is available, the defaults are defined by the PRINT profile parameter or the NTPRINT macro in the Natural parameter module. The print file names can be overwritten by subparameter DEST.

CMSYNIN - Primary Command Input

This data set is used to read command input and data requested by the Natural INPUT statement. The latter is controlled by the profile parameter OBJIN (see also CMOBJIN).

The input record data length for Natural is determined by profile parameter SL. The maximum record length (LRECL) supported is 255. The record format (RECFM) can be fixed or variable.

CMTRACE - Optional Report Output for Natural Tracing

If profile parameter ETRACE=ON is set or the equivalent terminal command %TRE+ was issued, any Natural trace output during the session is written to the CMTRACE data set. To define the Natural components that are to be traced, the profile parameter TRACE is required.

If data set CMTRACE is not available, it will be allocated dynamically as

//CMTRACE DD SYSOUT=*

when the first trace record is to be written.

NATRJE - Job Submit Output

This data set is used for the Natural job submitting utility. If it is not defined, it will be allocated dynamically as

//NATRJE DD SYSOUT=(A,INTRDR)

when the first job is submitted.

STEPLIB - Load Library for External Modules

STEPLIB is the default load library name for loading external modules, for example:

  • the environment-independent nucleus (profile parameter NUCNAME),

  • a separate Adabas link routine module (profile parameter ADANAME),

  • the session back-end program (profile parameter PROGRAM),

  • any external subprograms not linked to the Natural parameter module.

The load library name can be changed by profile parameter LIBNAM. The specified load library name must be defined by a DD statement in the JCL.

CMWKFnn - Work Files 01-32

These data sets can be used by Natural work file statements like READ WORK nn and WRITE WORK nn.

If no DCB information (RECFM, LRECL, BLKSIZE, etc.) is available in the JCL or in the VTOC entry for the data set, the defaults are defined by the WORK profile parameter or the NTWORK macro in the Natural parameter module.

The work file data set names can be overwritten by subparameter DEST.