Setting up ISPF the way you'll use it
ISPF remembers your settings in your own profile, so a few minutes of setup pays off every day. Show your PF keys, choose where the command line sits, learn KEYS and RETRIEVE, and use split screens so you never have to walk back through menus.
Your ISPF profile
ISPF stores your settings (PF keys, edit options, the last dataset names you typed) in a profile library, usually named after your user ID, for example VSAHA1.ISPF.ISPPROF. Change a setting once and it is still there next time you log on. If your settings ever become badly broken, a colleague or your support team can reset the profile.
Commands worth knowing from day one
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| PFSHOW ON / OFF | Shows or hides the list of PF keys at the bottom of panels |
| KEYS | Opens the PF key definitions so you can see or change them |
| RETRIEVE (often PF12) | Brings back the last command you typed. Press again to go further back |
| SPLIT (PF2) / SWAP (PF9) | Opens a second logical screen and moves between screens |
| START | Starts a new logical screen running an option, for example START 3.4 |
| SWAP LIST | Lists your open logical screens so you can jump to one |
| =X | Leaves ISPF from any panel, closing your logical screens |
Option 0: Settings
Option 0 controls how ISPF behaves for you. The ones beginners most often change:
- Command line placement. Top or bottom of the panel. Pick one and stay with it, because muscle memory matters.
- Long message in a pop-up window. Makes it harder to miss what went wrong.
- Tab to action bar choices. Whether Tab stops on the menu bar at the top. Many people switch this off so Tab goes straight to the fields.
- Terminal type and screen format. Usually set for you. Leave them unless you know why you are changing them.
Command ===> START 3.4 ... a second logical screen opens on the Data Set List Utility Command ===> SWAP LIST ID Name Panel ID Applid 1 EDIT ISREDDE2 ISR 2* DSLIST ISRUDSL0 ISR
Which command shows or hides the PF key list at the bottom of the screen?
Show a hint
It starts with PF.
Show the solution
PFSHOW (ON or OFF).
Examples are for learning. Run commands and jobs only on a system you are authorised to use, such as a training or test system, and never on production without approval.
Common mistakes
You will drive other people's sessions and follow runbooks written for the defaults. Learn the defaults first.
RETRIEVE (often PF12) brings back what you typed. Press it repeatedly to go further back.
Use START or =option jumps, and keep a second logical screen open.
What you will see at work
- Teams often share a recommended set of option 0 settings. Ask for it.
- If ISPF behaves strangely only for you, suspect your profile before the system.
- Screen-sharing on a call? Turn PFSHOW on so others can follow what you press.
Key terms
Check your understanding.
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