++FEATURE MCS

The ++FEATURE MCS is used to describe a set of function SYSMODs that are collectively referred to as a FEATURE. It introduces descriptive information about a new or replacement set of functions into the global zone. A ++FEATURE MCS may be associated with an orderable software feature.

Operands

name

is a 1- to 8-character feature name. It can contain uppercase alphabetic, numeric, or national characters ($, #, @).

DESCRIPTION

describes the feature that represents this collection of function SYSMODs.

• DESCRIPTION can also be specified as DESC.
• The DESCRIPTION value can be in single-byte characters (such as English alphanumeric) or double-byte characters (such as Kanji).
• The DESCRIPTION value can contain up to 64 bytes of data, including blanks. (For double-byte data, the 64-byte maximum includes all shift-in and shift-out characters, as well as the double-byte characters.) Extra blanks as well as leading and trailing blanks are deleted.
• The DESCRIPTION value can span multiple 80-byte records. Data must continue up to and including column 72 and begin in column 1 of the next line. All data past column 72 is ignored. The break does not translate to a blank unless a blank is explicitly coded in column 72 of the first line or in column 1 of the second line.
• The DESCRIPTION value cannot be only blanks.
• If parentheses are included in the text, they must be in matched pairs.

FMID

specifies the list of all function SYSMODs that make up this feature. Each FMID is 7 characters long and must be a valid SYSMOD ID. That is, it must contain uppercase alphabetic, numeric, or national characters ($, @, #). If multiple FMIDs are specified, they must be separated by commas.

PRODUCT

identifies the prodid and vv.rr.mm of the product with which this feature is associated.

REWORK

is the level of this feature, which was reworked for minor changes. Up to eight numeric characters can be specified.

For IBM® features, the REWORK level is yyyyddd, which is the year followed by the Julian date (for example, 2008110).

REWORK allows an updated feature to be automatically received again, as long as it is more recent than the version that has already been received. This takes the place of rejecting the feature and receiving it again.

Note: If a ++FEATURE statement appears more than once in the SMPPTFIN data set, the first occurrence may be received. However, none of the subsequent versions of the ++FEATURE statement are received, even if their rework level is higher than the one for the first version of the ++FEATURE statement.

Usage notes

• The ++FEATURE statements are processed only when the SMPPTFIN data set is processed.
  • If the whole SMPPTFIN data set is processed, all ++FEATURE statements are processed.
  • If only selected SYSMODs are processed, SMP/E processes the ++FEATURE statements that name at least one of the selected SYSMODs in their FMID operand list.

  ++FEATURE statements are not processed when only the SMPHOLD data set is being processed.

• The name, DESCRIPTION, and PRODUCT values are required and cannot be blank or null.
• The ++FEATURE MCS is used in the SMPPTFIN data set and can be placed between, before, or after SYSMODs, ++FEATURE MCS, or ++PRODUCT MCS.

  If the function SYSMODs identified in the FMID operand of the ++FEATURE statement have not been previously received, the ++FEATURE statement must follow these function SYSMODs in the SMPPTFIN data set.

  The ++FEATURE statement must be followed by one of the following: a ++APAR, ++ASSIGN MCS, ++FUNCTION, ++PRODUCT, ++PTF, ++USERMOD, another ++FEATURE MCS, or an end-of-file. If one of these does not follow, SMP/E skips the ++FEATURE MCS.

Example

++FEATURE( OS325BAS )         /* Feature definition */
  DESCRIPTION( OS/390 Base Feature ) /* Description */
  FMID(HBB6605,HMP1B00,JBB66C5,…) /* FMID List    */
  PRODUCT (5647-A01,2.5.0)    /* Owning Product     */ .