Gerhard > I haven't been involved in this since retirement, but can't help wondering why this near universal interest in USS. When VTAM first appeared in my installations, we used a network solicitor. It goes through a normal BIND process, so a query was available, it allowed me to ignore mixed case in input, which USSTAB doesn't support (unless very permutation is defined). With suitable coding, it permits single signon for multiple applications, brief news messages on the logon screen, etc. And a very nice starter version was available on the CBT tape.
- I don't know where you get your "near universal interest" from. The number of active players involved in this discussion was raised significantly thanks to your contribution. Nevertheless I trust that the passive readership has picked up a few points regarding the philosophy of communicating partners assuming function in their partner without checking that it exists first. And the discussion has moved on to discuss an aspect of the USS function which you should have noticed, assuming you have read all the contributions assiduously, has no equivalent in network solicitor applications. I refer of course to the SSCP-assisted logoff. This is quite up to date since it concerns the TN3270E server and its failings caused by being backed by a deficient RFC. I had an idea you might be wrong regarding the inability of USS processing to be case-insensitive. The evidence I found at first was the following regarding the TRANSLATE operand of the USSPARM macro: <quote> TRANSLATE=NO Specifies that the USSPARM will not be translated. TRANSLATE=NO is only intended to be coded on the USSPARM for DATA when the data contains a mixed case password and the destination application supports mixed case passwords. </quote> But then I got a bit cleverer with my search words. In the description of ISTINCDT in Table 85, "Description of the IBM-supplied USS tables", we find the following: <quote> Default session-level USS table used by terminal operator users. Contains the following: - ... - ... - Translation table that is used for character-coded input from the terminal. The translation table, named STDTRANS, converts lowercase characters to uppercase and converts horizontal tabs to spaces. </quote> And in the description of the TABLE operand of the USSTAB macro we find the following: <quote> If no translation table is specified, VTAM uses the translation table associated with the IBM-supplied USS table (or its user-written replacement). If the IBM- supplied table (or its user-written replacement) does not have a translation table, VTAM does no character translation. </quote> And, as already mentioned, the IBM-supplied USS table happens to have STDTRANS as its translate table so, by default the translation table is STDTRANS and USS commands are case-insensitive. Maybe you had in mind the requirement for the *Interpret* table LOGCHAR macro SEQNCE operand. I seem to remember I used to worry about case translation with my routine to disconnect 3270s "dialed" from VM to MVS by way of the Interpret table. In promoting a sample network solicitor application, I guess you should reflect on the availability or otherwise of suitable skills to understand and modify the sample and maintain the evenual customized local network solicitor application when an IBM-supplied and maintained table-driven function is available. However, you remind me of a network solicitor application I wrote in order to promote the image of the demonstration centre where I was working - and getting to know SNA software and hardware - back in 1976. In those days IBM supplied a sample network solicitor application with VTAM. It was required to cater for BASIC mode devices - and maybe only BASIC mode devices - I forget that detail. In any case, I took it and used it to create a RECORD mode version for use with the non-SNA 3270s dialed from VM. Now when I read about TN3270 parameters relating to network solicitor applications using the SIMLOGON macro with OPTCD=Q specified following using the CLSDST macro with OPTDC=PASS specified, I know exactlky what they are talking about! It helped then - as it ceratinly would not today - that I had recently attended the basic VTAM class which was so short of the usual topics to teach that VTAM programmming was included. Rewriting the sample network solicitor was an opportunity to put the theory into practice. Chris Mason ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
