🚀 go-pugleaf

* (1) Concerning the system connection block at the lower left of the
*   screen, I was under the impression that the little block there
*   (beside the square-4 and the little-A) would contain a little
*   stick-figure man while in VTAM.

 This could be on account of your terminals being non-SNA.  The only
 time I've noticed the little guy has been on remote SNA terminals.

* (2) I would like to customize in my USSTAB message 10 so I can
*   design a logo screen.  I thought that I was doing this right,
*   but nothing ever displays...I might be missing something.  Any ideas?

 How are you doing your USSMSG10?  If you're using 3270 data stream
 commands you have to use the USSMSG macro with the BUFFER operand.
 I got the following from a friend of a friend (my edits and comments):

* Adapted for the screen from ISTINCDT ASSEMBLE.
* See VTAM Version 3 Customization (SC23-0112), pg 3-57, 'USSMSG Macro
* Instruction (for Terminal Operator Messages)'
*
MESSAGES USSMSG   MSG=1,TEXT='INVALID COMMAND SYNTAX'
          .
         USSMSG   MSG=9,TEXT='MAGNETIC CARD DATA ERROR'
         USSMSG   MSG=10,BUFFER=MSG10               *** Specify buffer
         USSMSG   MSG=11,TEXT='% SESSIONS ENDED'
          .
MSG10    DC        AL2(MSG10E-*-2)
MSG10S   EQU       *                           *** Do an Erase/Write,
         DC    X'F5C7'                             sound alarm, kbd, etc
         DC    X'1140D4',X'1DE0'               *** Set Buffer Address,
         DC    C'MY VERY OWN VTAM NETWORK'         Start Field, words
         DC    X'11C55A',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'MY VERY OWN USER MENU'
         DC    X'11C66A',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'--------------------------'
         DC    X'11C9D3',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'SYSTEM A'
         DC    X'114BF3',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'SYSTEM B'
*  END OF PANEL  -  DEFINE CURSOR POSITION
         DC    X'11D9C1',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'ENTER ONE OF THE ABOVE FOR CONNECTION'
         DC    X'115B61',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'==> '
         DC    X'115C5B',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'RUNNING '
         DC    X'115CE6',X'1DE0'
         DC    C'MYOWNVM '
         DC    X'115BE5',X'1DC013'      *** SBA, SF, and Insert Cursor
MSG10E   EQU       *
END      USSEND
         END     ,             END OF ASSEMBLY

* (3) I couldn't find any documentation that told me what to expect
*   while operating in VTAM mode.  I've discovered SYS REQ and
*   can LOGON APPLID(VM) and LOGOFF APPLID(VM) and so forth, but
*   if there's a document that explains what-does-what here, I'd
*   like to see it.

  The only place I remember seeing this stuff was in the VTAM
  Customization book (SC23-0112).  My book (3rd edition) has the
  terminal operator commands VTAM responds to on page 3-40.
  SYS REQ I think is supposed to correspond to a TEST REQ, and the
  action taken for a given terminal attachment is in a table
  in the VTAM Programming book (SC23-0115) in Chapter 11,
  'Programming Considerations for the IBM 3270'.

Along these lines, can anybody out there in TV Land offer any
suggestions on good VTAM literature?  I'm wondering if there are
any practical implementation books, either from IBM or a third party.

* I realize these are trivial for the experienced ones, but a little help
* goes a long way for me.

Same here.  I don't regard myself as an experienced VTAM know-it-all,
Assembler programmer, or systems wizard.  Just learning what little I
know of this stuff was a long slog through the books and some helpful
advice.  If I screwed up anything above, please let the list know.



Art Weisenseel
Academic Programmer/Analyst
Computer Services
State University of New York - College at Purchase
"Twenty Seconds Ahead of the Past"