Run my utility CLIST in SYSPROC library

In unix, I would like to put my helpful utilities inside a directory [ util ] under my $HOME. Then, I will put this directory as the first directory in the searching path like this:

export PATH=/home/alvin/util:$PATH

Putting this statement at in the .profile file, I can use my utilities every time when I login my korn shell.

In mainframe MVS, there is something similar.

Actually, every time when you logon the TSO ISPF session, there is a SYSPROC library allocated to your session. This SYSPROC is similar to the PATH variable in unix. This SYSPROC contains a list of partition datasets. Members inside these partition datasets are those command, CLIST or REXX which you can execute in the TSO session.

Usually, I will put my useful REXX or CLIST (e.g. QDEL as mentioned in my other post) inside a partition dataset named, e.g. ALVIN.MISC.CLISTLIB.

Some sites allow you to customize your login procedure. Then, I can allocate this ALVIN.MISC.CLISTLIB as the first dataset in SYSPROC.

However, some sites do not provide this customization. In this case, once you have successfully login the ISPF panel, you can run the following command :

CONCAT SYSPROC 'ALVIN.MISC.CLISTLIB' FIRST

This command will make ALVIN.MISC.CLISTLIB to be the first dataset in the SYSPROC library, just like putting /home/alvin/util as the first directory in the PATH in unix.

Noted that, if you omit the word [ FIRST ], the dataset ALVIN.MISC.CLISTLIB will be concat at the end of the datasets list in SYSPROC.

Comparing the two scenarios, SYSPROC corresponds to the PATH variable. Each allocated PDS datasets corresponds to the directories in the PATH. The PDS dataset members correspond to the files in the directories.

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