Operator entry of parameters

If an IEASYSxx identifier is not specified in the LOADxx parmlib member, the operator is prompted to respond to the SPECIFY SYSTEM PARAMETERS message to direct the system components to the desired parmlib members.

Note: Use the LOAD parameter on the system console to allow the operator to force the prompt for system parameters. For more information, see z/OS MVS System Commands.

The operator can select the default general parameter list IEASYS00, or enter SYSP=(aa,bb...) to select one or more alternate general parameter lists, such as IEASYS01, IEASYS02, and so forth. If the operator responds to the SPECIFY SYSTEM PARAMETERS message without specifying the SYSP parameter, the system will use IEASYS00.

The system always processes the IEASYS00 member first, regardless of where you specify IEASYSxx suffixes. If the same parameter appears in both IEASYS00 and a specified alternate IEASYSxx list, the value in the alternate list overrides the value in IEASYS00. Also, a parameter value in a later specified IEASYSxx list overrides the same parameter in an earlier specified list. Table 1 shows how the system overrides suffixes. See the description of the IEASYSxx member for more information.

The operator need not enter parameter values directly, except for those cases in which parameters are missing, are syntactically invalid, cannot be read, or must be supplemented to satisfy a special case. (An example of a special case is the operator entry of the PAGE parameter to increase the amount of paging space.)

If an error occurs with certain parmlib members, the operator is prompted to manually enter one or more of the member's parameters. If the parameter cannot be corrected, the operator can accept the system defaults. Most parameters have defaults, either as default parmlib members, or as coded values in system components. If a default does not exist (and if a parameter is not required), the operator can cancel the parameter. (The defaults are listed in the individual descriptions of parmlib members.)

If the parameter list supplied by the operator is longer than one line (there are 80 characters per line), the operator can follow the last parameter with a comma or a blank and CONT. For details about how to continue system parameters, see the description of the REPLY command in z/OS MVS System Commands.

An operator-entered parameter overrides the same parameter specified in parmlib member IEASYS00 or IEASYSxx, except for:

A parameter for which operator intervention is prohibited (OPI=NO). In this case, the system ignores the parameter that the operator entered(unless the parmlib parameter was syntactically invalid and is being corrected from the console).
The PAGE parameter. The page data set names that the operator enters are added for the duration of the IPL to those specified in either IEASYS00 or IEASYSxx. (For information about the PAGE parameter, see IEASYSxx (system parameter list).)

Note: To determine the LOAD parameter that was used for the current IPL, check ECVTMLPR field in the ECVT data area. The ECVT is mapped by the IHAECVT mapping macro. For a description of the ECVT, you can see z/OS® MVS™ Data Areas in the z/OS Internet library.