ISPF Editor

2. How do I see only those lines that contain a particular string?
A. Type ‘X all’ then ‘F all ‘search-string’
3. Now I want to see only those lines that contain a particular value in the display I get after doing an ‘X all, F all’.
A. Type ‘ F new_value all nx’. ‘nx’ will restrict the search only to the displayed lines.
4. How do I go to a particular line numbers ?
A. Use ‘L search-string’ command. This is the Label command.
5. I want to find for a search-string that is Not prefix/suffix of another word. I want to find for an instance of a search-string that is whole word by itself. How can I do this?
A. Use keyword ‘word’ at the end of find command. E.g., ‘f job word’ will find for the whole word ‘job’.
6. How do I specify the direction of search i.e., how do I search for a string in backward / forward direction (w.r.t., your current cursor position)?
A.
Direction
Keyword
Example
Backward
PREV
F ‘job’ PREV finds for string ‘job’ in backward direction
Forward
No need to mention any keyword. It’s default direction
F ‘job’ finds for string ‘job’ in forward direction.
From the beginning of the file
FIRST
F ‘job’ FIRST finds the first instance of sting ‘job’ in the file.
Count of all instances in file
ALL
F ‘job’ FIRST finds the first instance of sting ‘job’ in the file and gives total-no-of-instances of sting ‘job’ in the file.
7. How do I search for a value say '0980312' stored in comp-3 format?
A. Type F X’0980312’.
8. How do I do case sensitive search find for a given search-string?
A. Just, enclose the search-string within quotes and have a letter C in front of the string itself. For e.g., F C’FindMe’ will find all FindMe strings only if the case matches.
9. How do I find for any non-blank characters?
A. Use picture string ‘^’. E.g., "F P’^’ 36" will find the next non-blank characters in column 36.
30. How do I find for any numeric character?
A. Use picture string ‘#’. E.g., 1. "F p’#’" finds the next numeric character. 2. "F ‘PAGE ##’ will find the next instance of the string ‘page followed by a blank followed by 2 numeric characters’.
31. How do I find for any non-numeric character?
A. Use picture string ‘-’.
32. How do I find for any alphabetic character?
A. Use picture string ‘@’.
33. How do I find for any uppercase alphabetic character?
A. Use picture string ‘>’.
34. How do I find for any lowercase alphabetic character?
A. Use picture string ‘<’.
35. How do I find for any non-display character?
A. Use picture string ‘.’ E.g., "f p’.’" finds the next instance of non-display character.
36. How can I split a line in ISPF editor?
A. Key in ‘TS’ in columns 1-6, position cursor at a point from where you want to split the line and press ENTER. This will result in splitting the line: the contents of line from where the cursor is positioned goes to the next line and the remaining portion will be retained in that line itself.
---TS--- This is first portion. It’s been split here.
^ Cursor is placed here.
Upon hitting ENTER, it splits into 2 lines as below:
-------- This is first portion.
-------- It’s been split here. ß next line
37. How do I join 2 lines?
A. You can do this by using overlay command. For e.g.,
-------- This is line-1.
-------- This is line-2.
Say, you want to join these 2 lines. First, you need to move the 2nd line to the position from where you need to join it in the first line. Then, key in ‘M’ in columns 1-6 of 2nd line and ‘O’ in columns 1-6 of 1st line.
----O--- This is line-1.
----M--- This is line-2.
Upon hitting ENTER, line-2 joins line-1.
-------- This is line-1. This is line-2.
NOTE: If you key in ‘C’ instead of ‘M’ in the 2nd line, it joins the 2nd line to the first line and also retains the 2nd line.
38. How do I see the value of the field stored in comp-3 format?
A. Type HEX ON and go to the location of the field and get the value from the two lines displayed below it.
39. How do I get rid of the 4 to 5 message lines displayed at the beginning of the file in ISPF edit?
A. Use ‘RESET’ command.
40. How do I stop the standard numbers on Col 73-80 in the ISPF editor?
A. Type ‘NUM OFF’. Some Clients use Col 73-80 to mark their changes, in that case you HAVE to have NUM OFF as the option.
41. How do I make columns 1-6 disappear from my ISPF editor screen?
A. Type 'NUM ON COB’. These are the ‘COBOL numbers’ columns and the screen display will be from Col 9-80.
42. How do I make the numbers on Col 1-6 contiguous, i.e., the COBOL numbers
A. Type 'RENUM'. ISPF sometimes recommends you to do this. You can ignore it.
43. How do I replace a particular value in a particular column with a constant value?
A. Type c ‘from_value’ ‘to_value’ 6 all. If you want this change in a particular range of rows, you’ll have to block the rows with ‘xx’ and say ‘c from_value to_value 6 x all’. Here ‘6’ is the column number.
44. I want to copy a block of records from one dataset to another.
A. Block the records and type ‘CUT’ at the command line. Open the other dataset in edit mode and type ‘PASTE’ at the command line and type ‘a’ or ‘b’ on the row after / before which you want these records.
45. I have a file of record length 240 and want to know in which column the value I am looking at occurs.
A. Say cols on the Command line if in browse mode and in the column command if in edit mode.