The preprocessed panel utility is an ISPF dialog called ISPPREP. This utility converts panel definitions to a form ISPF can display more quickly. The converted panels can be defined to ISPF in place of normal panel definitions. This improves ISPF's performance.

When you install ISPF, consider creating a panel library to contain the preprocessed versions of the ISPF panels. Be aware that a preprocessed panel is in an encoded form and cannot be changed through the normal edit procedure. For a general discussion of ISPPREP and its use, refer to the z/OS ISPF Dialog Developer's Guide and Reference.

This example shows how to create preprocessed versions of the ISPF panels contained in the data set ISP.SISPPENU. The example assumes this data set is cataloged. However, this is not necessary and both the panel input and panel output data sets can be uncataloged.

Before continuing, you must allocate the data set that will contain the preprocessed panels. For this example, catalog the data set and name it ISP.PREPPLIB. Allocate the data set with the same record format, logical record length, and block size of the ISPF panel data set, ISP.SISPPENU. However, the entire ISPF panel data set in the preprocessed format will take up about 25% less space than the original data set, so allocate the new data set accordingly.

To convert the ISPF panel library, issue the ISPSTART command as follows:

ISPSTART PGM(ISPPREP) PARM(INPAN('ISP.SISPPENU'),
                           OUTPAN('ISP.PREPPLIB'))

The panel output data set name in the previous example is a suggested naming convention. Regardless of how you name the data set, be sure you modify your TSO LOGON procedure or the CLIST that allocates the ISPF data sets to allocate the new panel library. See the z/OS ISPF User's Guide Vol I for more information about allocating ISPF libraries.

The previous example shows the use of ISPPREP in foreground batch mode. You can also run ISPPREP as a background job, as an interactive dialog by selecting option 2 on the ISPF Primary Option Menu, or by entering the ISPPREP command on any Command line.

These restrictions apply to the panels you can convert to preprocessed panels. You cannot convert any panel that contains these items in the panel definition:

• A dialog variable specified with the WIDTH keyword in the )BODY header statement of a panel.
• A dialog variable that defines a model line in a table display panel definition.
• A dynamic or graphic area that has EXTEND(ON) specified for the attribute character.

If ISPPREP is passed a panel definition that does not meet these restrictions, a message is issued to the ISPF log data set that specifies the name of the panel that violated the restrictions. In this case, the panel definition is not converted to the preprocessed format. However, you can copy the original panel definitions into the new panel library to keep your panels grouped accordingly. In any case, be sure to check the ISPF log data set after invoking ISPPREP. The messages in the log data set help you identify any problems ISPPREP encounters during the conversion. For more information, refer to the z/OS ISPF Dialog Developer's Guide and Reference.