File tailoring without ISPF

Question

I'm currently attempting to write a simpler external interface to a mainframe ISPF panel, however it makes use of ISPF file tailoring to modify JCL scripts before execution, and ISPF services (including file tailoring) aren't available without a running ISPF session. I've used a Rexx script called 'batchpdf' (http://www.sillysot.com/mvs/batchpdf.htm) to set up the appropriate DD statements and then run ISPSTART and FTINCL, and at the moment this is working well, however it seems to be a fragile solution - if the company changes their ISPF dataset concatenations the JCL could break. Is there any solution for simply running file tailoring outside ISPF (ie. in batch/JES2)?

Answer 1

The short answer is no. File tailoring inherently requires ISPF.

I guess the questions to ask yourself are...

1. How likely is it that the company would change its ISPF dataset concatenations?
2. How fragile is any RYO solution you create that emulates file tailoring?

I wouldn't call what you've done "fragile." Document the dependency according to your shop's standards.

Answer 2

While file tailoring only runs under ISPF, you can run ISPF in batch TSO (provided there is no panels displayed). Typically you would do something like

ISPF CMD(mycommand)

This will enter spf, run the command and return to TSO where mycommand is a clist/rexx program in appropriate library.