In earlier versions of ISPF, changing configuration defaults involved two separate entities: the ISPF Configuration table (ISRCONFG) and the ISPF Defaults member (ISPDFLTS). In OS/390® Version 2 Release 8.0 these two parts were combined into a single configuration table, which included keywords for all the existing ISRCONFG and ISPDFLTS values.

The ISPF Configuration table is a keyword-driven flat file. Each entry is in the format KEYWORD = value. A slash and asterisk (/*) in columns 1 and 2 indicate a comment line. Some advantages of this keyword approach are:

• Only one place to go for all configuration needs.
• No need to rename sample ISRCNFIG to ISRCONFG to get the correctly named load module created.
• No need to modify ISPF standard parts.
• No need to modify any keywords or values EXCEPT those for which you DO NOT want the default value.
• Different keyword files, representing different configurations, can be saved in different members of a PDS. Each one can be generated into a load module for different sets of users.

Use the ISPF Configuration table to change site-wide defaults and to indicate that installation exit routines are provided for some of the ISPF functions. The ISPF functions that allow installation-written exit routines are data set allocation, print utility, data set compression, the data set list utility, member list filter, and data set name change. ISPF checks the configuration table to determine, first, if exit routines are provided, and second, whether those routines are programs or CLISTs. If you specify both a CLIST and a program, ISPF uses the program.

A default configuration load module (ISPCFIG) is included with ISPF. It is used if you choose to make no customizations for your installation. If you do want to create your own configuration table, simply use the ISPF Configuration utility to edit the flat file (name and data set of your choosing, but it must be a PDS) and convert it into a load module called ISPCFIGU. Optionally, you can use the same file to create load module called ISPCFIGV for VSAM support. The converted load module must be placed in the standard MVS™ search sequence or allocated to ISPLLIB for ISPF to use the values specified. For more information about the ISPF Configuration utility, see The ISPF Configuration utility.

It is recommended that you always use the latest release as the common configuration, though older releases will work with the newest table. Newer releases will also work with an older table, but the ability to configure the settings added in the latest release is lost.

Related references

• ISPF Configuration Table keywords and values