MVS 3.8 — Documentation, Programming & Software

Reference

System Documentation

MVS configuration, commands, hardware, and load modules

SYS1.PARMLIB Member Documentation

Notes and reference information for SYS1.PARMLIB members used to configure and control an MVS 3.8 system.

JES2 Commands

JES2 operator command reference covering job queues, output, destinations, execution classes, started tasks, TSO users, and other JES2 operations.

Hardware

3350 Disk Capacity Reference

IBM 3350 DASD capacity and space-allocation reference for tracks, records, block sizes, and data set space requirements.

Linkage Editor

Load Module Record Formats

Technical reference for the record structures used in MVS load modules and programs that examine or process load-module contents.

Development

Programming & Interfaces

Full-screen programming, APIs, and debugging tools

3270

NETSOL Full Screen Modification

MVS 3.8 NETSOL full-screen modification information for customizing the Network Solicitor logon presentation.

Tutorial

3270 Full-Screen Programming Tutorial

Introduction to IBM 3270 data-stream programming, including commands, field attributes, buffer addressing, screen positioning, and full-screen application techniques.

API

FSI Full Screen Programming Interface API

Assembler full-screen programming interface for constructing and managing 3270 terminal applications.

Debugger

TCS Test Control System Debugger

Test-control and debugging environment for examining and controlling MVS program execution during development.

C API

C Full Screen API

C programming API for TSO full-screen applications, including 3270 fields, attributes, color, highlighting, and terminal interaction.

Software

Utilities & Tools

Software projects for MVS and classic mainframe data work

MVS Utilities

MVS System Utility Collection

Collection of system, programming, and data-management utilities developed for MVS 3.8.

TSCLIB / TSDSUTIL

Tools For Classic Mainframe Data Work

TSCLIB, CPTTAPE, CPFTAPE, and TSDSUTIL — tools for Linux, Hercules, IEBCOPY interchange, tape images, and assembler-inspired data processing.

Why this site exists

Rediscovering MVS through Hercules

My interest in running MVS at home began with the Hercules IBM mainframe emulator. I originally became interested in Hercules while experimenting with Linux/390, but before long I discovered the work being done to bring MVS 3.8 back to life under Hercules.

When I first saw MVS running again, I was amazed. This was the same operating system I had worked with in the late 1970s on what was then a very large IBM System/370 installation. I still remember late-night system maintenance, Saturday evening SYSGENs, TSO line-mode editing, and the sounds and routines that went along with working on a real mainframe.

Hercules made it possible to have that environment again, this time on my own computer and with the freedom to explore, modify, and experiment with the system in ways that were rarely possible in a production data center.

Over the years, this part of my website has become a collection of notes, documentation, programming information, utilities, and projects related to MVS 3.8 and classic IBM mainframe computing. Some of the material began as personal reference notes; other parts grew out of software projects or things I thought might be useful to others working with Hercules and MVS.

I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to the preservation and continued enjoyment of these systems. Much of the fun I have had with MVS under Hercules would not have been possible without the work of many people in the mainframe hobbyist community.

If you find an error, have a suggestion, or simply want to discuss something on these pages, feel free to contact me at tommy@tommysprinkle.com.

Thanks,
Tommy