> > From: [email protected] > > ISPF already supports auto-completion of data set names (kinda sorta), but > > it's extremely clunky. > > Better and easier to use SimpList and not have to type anything at all.
> From: [email protected] > Can I throw away my keyboard and use only my mouse? It's very rare that a SimpList user needs to use a keyboard, except of course for editing data. Other than that, almost everything can be done with a mouse. For example, a user can switch from one list of objects (such as UNIX files, DB2 tables, IMS databases, ISPF commands, etc) to another list of objects (such as data sets, PC files, VSAM files, TSO commands, etc), scroll up or down the list of objects, select any object from the list (such as a PDS), locate a member in the list, and open the member for any function (e.g. browse, edit, copy, transfer, etc), all without ever touching a keyboard. > Sometimes it might be less tedious to type than to use point-and-shoot > (is that what you mean?) to drill down through a hierarchy of data set names. The option to use a keyboard or mouse is always available. Some people prefer using a keyboard while others prefer using a mouse. One SimpList user said that when he started using SimpList and began using a mouse it cured the repetitive stress injury he had in his wrist. As for "drilling down through a hierarchy of data set names", that's not the way most people use SimpList. Instead, commonly used object names are stored in one of 26 lists, each of which is represented by a letter of the alphabet (A-Z). For example, COBOL data sets might be stored on list 'C' and JCL data sets stored on list 'J' and UNIX files stored on list 'U' (etc). Let's say a user is on list 'L' (which might contain a list of Load Libraries) and they want to select one of the REXX libraries they've stored on list 'R'. If the REXX library has a label (see below) it can be opened directly by simply entering the label name on the command line. Otherwise, the user can click the REXX index name to switch to the list of REXX libraries and then click whichever REXX library they want to open. In other words, any object can usually be opened with a single command or a couple of mouse clicks. Any type of object (such as a data set, UNIX file, DB2 table, etc) can be given a user defined alias known as a label. A label begins with a period followed by 1 to 8 characters. For example, 'SOME.LONG.PROD.COBOL.DATASET.NAME' could be given a label called .PCOB or .PRODCOB (etc). Any object that has a label can be opened from ANY command line, anywhere in ISPF. For example, if I'm in the middle of an SDSF session and I want to browse the production COBOL library I can enter BR .PCOB on the command line. In summary, virtually any type of object can be opened almost instantly, from anywhere in ISPF, with no need to navigate through different panels or drill down through any type of hierarchy. It might not be quite as slick as the Google search auto-complete, but it does save people a heck of a lot of time! Dave Salt SimpList(tm) - try it; you'll get it! http://www.mackinney.com/products/program-development/simplist.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
