Description of SPOOLKIT

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The SPOOLKIT package contains the SFLIST module and some associated files, intended to make life easier for system programmers and administrators when working with spool files and spool disks (replaces the previous SFLIST package).
The module provides the following functions:

  • Total SPOOL utilization by user
    The initial 'Spool File Overview' screen shows total spool utilization (number of files, number of 4k-blocks used) per user. This is where you'd start looking for users that occupy too much space.
  • Spool file manipulation
    After selecting a particular user on the overview screen that user's spool files are listed on the UFLIST screen (with the newsest files on top). They can be viewed, received, renamed, purged or transferred to another user.
  • The integrated SBROWSE component allows viewing even open spool files and 'system' files (e.g. current console logs, NSS, DCSS ..).
    V.1.5 of the tool has further added the capability to display also spool file internals, that is, view the original CP control blocks on disk (SPMBKs, SPFBKs and SPDBKs) that make up each spool file.
  • Spool volume utilization
    Two reports are provided:
    • SPOOLVOL summary report for summary SPOOL utilization by volume, and
    • 'SPOOLVOL volser' report with utilization details for a selected volume, listing all files that have data blocks on the volume, and the number of blocks occupied on the volume by each file.
      'SCAN ..' sub-command further allows listing the subset of spool files that use blocks in a specified range of cylinders or FBA pages.
    While this may be of academical interest only most of the time, you will need the information if you drain a spool volume and want to know which spool files occupy the last few blocks that prevent you from taking the volume offline.
Pre-Requisites
Full use of all SFLIST functions requires CP privilege classes D and E, and also access to full-pack overlay minidisks for all SPOOL volumes.
While the basic SFLIST spool file displays can be used with just class D, the SBROWSE function and part of the SPOOLVOL data require access to some CP control blocks, and to control and data blocks in CP's spool area.

Documentation
The complete documentation is available in PDF format, to be downloaded separately as a ZIP file.
Similar information is also contained in file SFLIST README and a number of CMS Help files which are part of the original package.

Report bugs, and direct wishes for enhancements, to the author: Eginhard Jaeger

Change history

  • 2025-04-17 SFLIST V1.5/Fix008, more SBROWSE updates:
    • Fix007: Allow displaying 'system' files (NSS, DCSS ..) with full page 'records' in DUMP format.
    • Fix008: LOCATE function enhancements/fixes.
  • 2025-01-05 SFLIST V1.5/Fix006 level:
    • Fix004: 'SCAN ..' sub-command for 'SPOOLVOL volser' report allows listing subset of spool files that use blocks in a specified range of cylinders or FBA pages.
    • Fix005: Allow also 'XBrowse' request for viewing spool files
    • Fix006: Allow initial SFLIST call with 'pattern' to only show spool files from users matching the pattern, like LISTFILE.
  • 2024-10-08 SFLIST V1.5/Fix003 level:
    • Fix001: Prevent abend when calling SFLIST for user with no spool files
    • Fix002: Allow ACTSPFBK selection directly from SPMBK screen
    • Fix003: Fix SBROWSE 'refresh' handling, show correct status time for open spool files
  • 2024-08-24 SFLIST V1.5:
    • SBROWSE extended to allow viewing CP spool data control blocks on disk
    • Documentation provided also as PDF file
  • 2024-05-20 SFLIST V1.4/Fix005 level:
    • Fix004: Prevent unplanned exit following CP break-in
    • Fix005: Allow defining default action when hitting ENTER without data for spool file on UFLIST report (new SFLIST $PROFILE entry)
  • 2024-05-13 SFLIST V1.4/Fix003 level, redistributed to include SFLIST $PROFILE sample.
    Also includes
    • Fix001: Accept 'UP' as synonym for 'BACKWARD' scrolling
    • Fix002: Include '% Data' column in SFLIST files overview screen to show percentage of data each user contributes to total amount of spool data
    • Fix003: Fix LEFT shifting on narrow screens
  • 2024-04-19 SFLIST V1.4: Distribution as SPOOLKIT PACKAGE. Some extensions added and bugs fixed:
    - Support SFLIST $PROFILE for customizing PF-key assignment.
    - SBROWSE extensions:
    • PUT subcommand added for writing data lines to disk file.
    • BLOCK ON/OFF subcommand added to allow showing some information
      on internal organization of spool files.
    • Append file creation time to SBROWSE header for wide screens.
    • Prevent SYS-type file selection for SBROWSE to avoid abend.
    - Auto-dump logic builds a dump if the program should abend.

Previous releases, distributed as SFLIST PACKAGE:

  • 2023-07-18 V1.3: Refreshed to include recent fixes
  • 2023-05-22 V1.3: Extended to include new 'SPOOLVOL' and 'SPOOLVOL volser' reports with information on distribution of spool file blocks on different spool volumes. Also includes some minor enhancements and fixes.
  • 2022-10-30 V1.2: Adapted to tolerate z/VM 7.3 control block layout, and to include system data files in the display.
  • 2022-04-11 V1.1: Update to let SBROWSE support FBA DASD and new SFLIST command invocation.
  • 2022-03-31 V1.0: Initial distribution to VM download page.