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TechTalk: Download PTFs in batch to avoid tying up your terminal.

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Like many of you, I download the complete list of PTFs from time to time to look for hidden new functionality and fixes to bugs that are causing me problems. To download the complete list of PTFs for V3R1, you run the following command:

 SNDPTFORD PTFID((SF97310))

After you press Enter, you're prompted with a screen to verify some contact information. After you complete that screen and press Enter, you get a screen asking you to select a reporting option. Selecting 1 sends the service request now, 2 says, "Do not send service request," and 3 lets you send the service request by voice. The problem is, if you take option 1, you find your PC locked up for quite awhile as the PTF information is downloaded.

You can submit PTF requests in batch. To do so, take option 2, which has that seemingly odd label of "Do not send service request." That logs your request into the system problem file with a status of Prepared. You can request multiple PTFs this way, and each of them will end up in the file.

I recommend reviewing the problems that are prepared using the following command:

 WRKPRB STATUS(*PREPARED)

You'll see a list of all problems with a status of Prepared. If there are any you don't want sent, use option 8 on the Work with Problems screen and change the status to Closed. You're then ready to send the PTF request to IBM. Here's the command you might use to get the PTFs from a batch job:

 SBMJOB CMD(SNDSRVRQS ACTION(*PREPARED))

Embedded in the Submit Job (SBMJOB) command is the Send Service Request (SNDSRVRQS) command. The SNDSRVRQS command uses the ECS modem to send all problems that have a status of Prepared. So you can send that long-running PTF request to IBM and not tie up your terminal for hours on end.

- Jim Hoopes

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