Quick reference to ISMF commands and line operators

The abbreviations in the Application column of these tables represent the following:

ACS: Automatic class selection
AG: Aggregate groups
CDS: Control data set
CP: Copy Pool
DC: Data class
DS: Data set
DV: Optical drive
DVOL: DASD volume
LA: List
LB: Optical library
MC: Management class
OVOL: Mountable optical volume
SC: Storage class
SG: Storage group
TL: Tape library
TVOL: Mountable tape volume

Tip: If you specify an equal sign after any DFSMSdss or DFSMShsm line operator, processing occurs in 'last-use mode,' which recalls the last values entered for that particular line operator or command, and DFSMSdfp does not display an entry panel.

Table 1 and Table 2 list the ISMF commands and line operators available to storage administrators. See z/OS DFSMS Using the Interactive Storage Management Facility for the line operators and commands available to the end user.

Table 1. ISMF Commands
Command	Minimum Abbreviation	Description	Application	Source
ACTIVATE	AC	Copy the contents of an SCDS into an ACDS and activate it, or activate an existing ACDS.	CDS	DFSMSdfp
ALTER	AL	Alter the use attribute, storage group, shelf location or owner information (or any combination of these) for all tape volumes currently showing in the volume list.	OVOL, TVOL, TL	DFSMSdfp
AUDIT	AU	Verify the location of volumes in 3995 optical libraries or automated tape libraries.	OVOL, TVOL, TL	DFSMSdfp
BOTTOM	BOT	Scroll to the bottom of the entries.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
CANCEL	CA	Return to the previous dialog without performing any of the current dialog functions.	DC, SC, MC, SG, ACS, CDS, AG, LB, DV, LA, CP	DFSMSdfp
CLEAR	CLE	Reset line operator history.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
CLEAR ALL	CL ALL	Clear all pages on selection entry panels and filter panels.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdfp
CLEAR PAGE	CL PA	Clear the current page on selection entry panels and filter panels.	DS, DVOL, OVOL, LA, TVOL	DFSMSdfp
CLEAR PAGEx	CL PAGEx	Clear a page on selection entry panels and filter panels where x is the page number.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdfp
COMPRESS	COM	Reclaim embedded unused space from a list of PDSs.	DS	DFSMSdss
COPY	COP	Copy a list of data sets to a DASD volume of like or unlike device type.	DS	DFSMSdss
DOWN n	DO n	Scroll forward the number of list entries specified by n. DOWN MAX scrolls to the bottom of the entries.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
DSUTIL	DSUTIL	Invoke PDF data set utility functions.	DS	DFSMSdfp
DUMP	DU	Dump data sets to tape, DASD, or mass storage volumes.	DS	DFSMSdss
END	END	Exit the current ISMF function or panel and return to the previous panel.	All	DFSMSdfp
ERTB	ER	Display the ISMF Error Table.	All	DFSMSdfp
FILTER	FIL	Tailor the list to include only specific entries.	DS, DVOL, LA	DFSMSdfp
FILTER CLEAR	FIL C	Clear the filter entries but bypass the entry panel.	DS, DVOL, LA	DFSMSdfp
FIND	FIN	Find a specific data column.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
FOLD	FO	Extend the data set name data column.	DS	DFSMSdfp
HELP	HELP	Request the help panels associated with the current panel.	All	DFSMSdfp
LEFT	L	Scroll left the specified number of columns.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
LIBRARY	LIBRARY	Invoke PDF library utility.	DS	DFSMSdfp
LISTPRT	LISTP	Prints generated or saved ISMF lists	All that can generate a list	DFSMSdfp
PROFILE	P	Invoke the ISMF profile.	All except the ISMF Profile Application, the ISMF Menu panel or an abend panel	DFSMSdfp
QSAVE	QS	Save query criteria	DS, DVOL	NaviQuest
QRETRIEV	QR	Retrieve query criteria	DS, DVOL	NaviQuest
REFRESH	REF	Display the updated list.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
RELEASE	REL	Free unused space at the end of each of the data sets in a list.	DS	DFSMSdss
RESHOW	RESH	Redisplay all list entries removed by the HIDE line operator.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
RESTORE	REST	Restore data sets that have been dumped by DFSMSdss.	DS	DFSMSdss
RETURN	RETURN	Return to the primary ISMF option menu.	All	DFSMSdfp
RIGHT	RI	Scroll right the specified number of columns.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
SAVE	SA	Save a copy of the current list in the ISPF output table.	All except ACS and CDS.	DFSMSdfp
SORT	SO	Organize lists based on entries in specific data columns.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
TOP	TOP	Scroll to the top of the entries.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
TSO Commands and CLISTs		Invoke TSO commands and CLISTs.	All	DFSMSdfp
UP	U	Scroll backward the specified number of entries. UP MAX scrolls to the top of the entries.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp
VALIDATE	V	Check the completeness and consistency of an entire SCDS.	CDS	DFSMSdfp
VIEW	VI	Choose the display order of the columns on list panels.	All except ACS and CDS	DFSMSdfp

Table 2. ISMF Line Operators
Line Operator	Minimum Abbreviation	Description	Application	Source
ABACKUP	AB	Specify the parameters for an ABACKUP command and issue the command to DFSMShsm.	AG	DFSMShsm
ALTER	AL	Change the name of a management class, storage class, use attribute, storage group, shelf location, or owner information (or any combination of these) for all volumes associated with a data set or change the use attributes of an SMS class or storage group.	DS, DC, SC, MC, SG, AG, LB, DV, TVOL, OVOL, TL, CP	DFSMSdfp
ANALYZE	ANAL	Examine the device or data on a volume to determine if any errors exist.	DVOL	ICKDSF
AUDIT	AU	Verify the location of optical volumes in IBM® 3995 optical and automated tape libraries.	OVOL, LB, TVOL, TL	DFSMSdfp
BROWSE	B	View a sequential data set or a member of a PDS.	DS	DFSMSdfp
BUILDIX	BUI	Change a volume from MVS format VTOC(OSVTOC) to an indexed format VTOC(IXVTOC) or vice versa.	DVOL	ICKDSF
CATLIST	CATLIST	Invoke IDAMS LISTCAT and browse the output.	DS	DFSMSdfp
CGCREATE	CGCREATE	Allow I/O activity to resume on the volumes residing in the logical subsystems receiving the command.	DVOL	DFSMSdss
CLIST	CLI	Call a TSO CLIST.	DS, DVOL, OVOL, TVOL, TL	DFSMSdfp
COMPRESS	COM	Reclaim embedded unused space from a PDS.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdss
CONDENSE	CON	Free unused space at the end of a data set; compress a PDS.	DS	DFSMShsm
CONSOLID	CONS	Copy data from one DASD volume to another	DVOL	DFSMSdss
CONTROL	CONT	Reset a device that has been WRITE INHIBITed, reset an indefinite status condition, or clear a fence status of a path or a device or both.	DVOL	ICKDSF
CONVERTV	CONV	Convert DASD volumes into SMS or out of SMS.	DVOL	DFSMSdss
COPY	COP	Copy one SMS class or storage group to another SMS class or storage group in the same or in a different SCDS; or copy a data set volume to a DASD volume.	DS, DVOL, DC, SC, MC, SG, AG, LB, DV, TL, CP	DFSMSdfp or DFSMSdss
DEFRAG	DEFR	Reduce free-space fragmentation on a DASD. volume	DVOL	DFSMSdss
DELETE	DEL	Delete an SMS class or storage group, or delete an online, backup, or DFSMShsm-migrated data set.	DS, DC, SC, MC, SG, AG, LB, DV, LA, TL, CP	DFSMSdfp or DFSMShsm
DISPLAY	DI	Display an SMS class and its attributes.	DC, SC, MC, AG, LB, DV, TL, CP	DFSMSdfp
DUMP	DU	Dump a data set or volume to tape or DASD.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdss
EDIT	E	Edit a sequential data set or member of a PDS.	DS	DFSMSdfp
EJECT	EJ	Eject an optical or tape volume from a library.	OVOL, TVOL, TL	DFSMSdfp
ERASE	ERA	Delete an SMS class or storage group, or delete an online, backup, or DFSMShsm-migrated data set.	DS, DC, SC, MC, SG, AG, LB, DV, LA, CP	DFSMSdfp or DFSMShsm
HALTERDS	HA	Change the number of backup versions of a data set; change frequency of backup.	DS	DFSMShsm
HBACKDS	HBA	Create a backup version of a data set.	DS	DFSMShsm
HBDELETE	HBD	Delete backup versions of a data set.	DS	DFSMShsm
HDELETE	HDE	Delete a migrated data set.	DS	DFSMShsm
HIDE	HI	Remove a list entry from display.	All except ACS and CDS.	DFSMSdfp
HMIGRATE	HM	Migrate a data set to DFSMShsm level one or level two volume.	DS	DFSMShsm
HRECALL	HRECA	Recall a data set that has been migrated by DFSMShsm.	DS	DFSMShsm
HRECOVER	HRECO	Recover a backup version of a data set.	DS	DFSMShsm
INIT	INI	Initialize a volume.	DVOL	ICKDSF
INSPECT	INS	Detect defects in volume track surface.	DVOL	ICKDSF
INSTALL	INST	Install an HDA replacement and physical movement of IBM DASD.	DVOL	ICKDSF
LIST	LI	Retrieve a list that was saved with the SAVE command.	LA	DFSMSdfp
LISTSYS	LISTS	List the systems associated with a given storage group.	SG	DFSMSdfp
LISTVOL	LISTV	List the volumes associated with a given storage group, optical library or tape library.	SG, LB, TL	DFSMSdfp
MESSAGE	MES	Display message text for the last operation performed on a list entry.	All	DFSMSdfp
PPRCOPY	PPRC	Allows synchronous copying of a DASD volume from one subsystem to another subsystem volume.	DVOL	ICKDSF
RAUTH	RAUTH	Provide remote access codes.	DVOL	DFSMSdfp
RECOVER	REC	Recover a backup copy of all the objects on a primary or backup optical cartridge.	OVOL	DFSMSdfp
REFORMAT	REF	Change the volume serial number or owner ID of a volume.	DVOL	ICKDSF
RELEASE	REL	Free unused space at the end of data sets.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdss
REMAP	REM	Reconstruct inventory in a real IBM 3995 optical library.	LB	DFSMSdfp
REPEAT	=	Repeat the last operator command that was implemented.	All except ACS and CDS.	DFSMSdss DFSMSdfp
RESTORE	REST	Restore data sets that have been dumped by DFSMSdss.	DS, DVOL	DFSMSdss
REVAL	REV	Perform track validation of medial initialization.	DVOL	ICKDSF
SECURITY	SE	Invoke a RACF® panel to protect data sets, storage classes, or management classes.	DS, SC, MC, LB, DV, TL	RACF
SETCACHE	SETC	Manage storage control characteristics.	DVOL	DFSMSdfp
STATUS	ST	Allows the display of up to 32 SMS and MVS volume statuses.	DVOL	DFSMSdfp
TRKFMT	TRKF	Performs track-related functions.	DVOL	ICKDSF
TSO Commands and CLISTs		Invoke TSO commands and CLISTs.	All	DFSMSdfp
VTOCLIST	VTOCLIST	Invoke IEHLIST LISTVTOC.	DS	DFSMSdfp