Using the PROGRAM service to specify a group

The PROGRAM service of the Information Center Facility provides a selection of environments in which you can create or execute programs. In addition, it allows you to request to use Information Center Facility menu panels tailored for a specific group of users.

Information Center Facility menu panels allow users to access Information Center Facility services. Because different departments or groups of users might require different services to perform their work, your installation might have tailored menu selections for different groups. If you have authorization to use the menu panels defined for a specific group, you can request to use these panels for your next Information Center Facility session by specifying a group. When you specify a group, the menu selections defined to that group will appear each time you use the Information Center Facility. Note that these selections will not be used for your current session.

Display the Information Center Facility main menu panel and select PROGRAM (option 4) from the list of services.

              TSO/E INFORMATION CENTER FACILITY USER SERVICES
Option  ===> 4

Select one of the following options.  To scroll, press UP or DOWN.

   0  DESCRIBE    - Read a short description of options on this panel
   1  NEWS        - Obtain system news
   2  NAMES       - Find a name/phone number
   3  OFFICE      - Use mail/document/other office services Facility
   4  PROGRAM     - Use program creation/execution services
   5  ANALYSIS    - Perform data analysis/report creation/decision support
   6  CHART       - Create charts/graphs
   7  COURSES     - Use education services
   8  PDF         - Use ISPF/PDF services
   9  PROBLEM     - Report problems
  10  UTILITY     - Use utility services
   I  INTRO       - Learn to use the Information Center Facility
   T  TUTORIAL    - Read descriptions of options on this panel
   X  EXIT        - Exit from the Information Center Facility


To view PF key definitions, type KEYS on COMMAND or OPTION line of any panel.

After selecting PROGRAM, another menu panel appears. Enter 6 on the OPTION line to select the GROUPSPEC option.

        Information Center Facility - Programmer Services
Option  ===> 6

Select one of the following options.  To scroll, press UP or DOWN.

   0  DESCRIBE    - Read a short description of the options on this panel
   1  BASIC       - Program in IBM BASIC/MVS environment
   2  APL2        - Program in APL2 environment
   3  VSAPL       - Program in VSAPL environment
   4  TIF         - Use the Information Facility
   5  AS          - Use the Application System
   6 GROUPSPEC    - Group Specification
⋮

The next panel displayed is a data entry panel. You can do one of three things on this panel:

Enter a GROUP ID (name) that you are authorized to use
Enter an asterisk (*) for a list of group names you can select from
Enter a part of a name with an asterisk (*) as a suffix for a list of group names beginning with the characters entered.

In this example, an asterisk (*) is entered for a list of group names.

                  Application Manager - Group Specification

COMMAND ===>
Type the group name to be used during application invocation and press ENTER.
Blank the Group ID field to turn off group applications and press ENTER.
To exit, press END.

     Group ID ===> *           Group name, *, or part of name with * suffix

The panel you see after entering an asterisk (*) on the Group Specification panel looks something like the following.

                  Application Manager - List of Groups

COMMAND ===>                                                  Scroll ===> PAGE
Type S in the S column to select an application group and press ENTER.
To exit, press END.

S    Group
_    GROUP2
_    GROUP3
s    GROUP4
_    NEWGROUP

In the example, GROUP4 has been selected as the group under which the next Information Center Facility session will run. If you want to use menu panels defined for the group, GROUP4, exit the Information Center Facility, and start a new session, or logoff and logon again. The menu selections will be displayed for all your Information Center Facility sessions until you change the group ID.