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Working with Z Data Tools
Enhancing Z Data Tools processing
You can enhance normal processing of a number of Z Data Tools tasks by supplying a procedure that runs in conjunction with the Z Data Tools process.
Creating and supplying a procedure

Working with Z Data Tools
- Z Data Tools overview
- Getting started with Z Data Tools
- Viewing and changing data sets
  To view data stored in a supported data set, use the View Utility or the Edit Utility.
- Creating and editing templates
  For many tasks performed with Z Data Tools, you can manipulate your view of a data set by applying a template.
- Working with the Template List
  Display a list of templates and perform actions on them.
- Filtering records with templates
- Managing data sets
- Using Z Data Tools utilities
- Tape Specific Functions
- Disk/VSAM Data Functions
- OAM Functions
- Using UNIX™ System Services and the Hierarchical File System
- Introduction to programming with Z Data Tools functions
- Enhancing Z Data Tools processing
  You can enhance normal processing of a number of Z Data Tools tasks by supplying a procedure that runs in conjunction with the Z Data Tools process.
  - Why enhance Z Data Tools processing?
    Enhanced processing allows end users to easily perform tasks that would otherwise need to be done by skilled application programmers, and to concentrate on business results rather than data processing problems.
  - Which tasks can be enhanced
    You can supply a procedure with DFSORT or REXX statements to enhance normal Z Data Tools processing according to your own requirements.
  - Choosing the right function to enhance
    With enhanced processing it can be unclear which function or panel to invoke for a particular task, and what combination of template, DFSORT and REXX (or FASTREXX) processing is best to use.
  - Creating and supplying a procedure
    - Procedure statement types
    - Choosing between FASTREXX, REXX, and DFSORT for your procedure
      In general, FASTREXX is the best compromise between performance and function.
    - Coding DFSORT procedure statements
    - Coding REXX procedure statements
    - Coding end of file procedure
    - Combining DFSORT and REXX statements in a procedure
    - Supplying a procedure to enhance Z Data Tools processing
  - How enhanced processing works
  - REXX and DFSORT Examples
  - Examples of tasks that can be performed easily using FASTREXX
- Redefines criteria
  Redefines criteria can be specified for a field with a REDEFINES clause, or a field that is the target of a REDEFINES clause.
- Enhanced ISPF: Reference List, Search, Change, and PDSE Workbench
  Z Data Tools provides several enhancements to the basic facilities that are available in an ISPF session: Enhanced Reference List, Enhanced Search, Enhanced Change, and PDSE Workbench.
- Z Data Tools Service Provider for z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition
  Z Data Tools Service Provider for IBM® z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition enables client applications to access IBM Z data sources using z/OS Connect.
- Function and panel reference lists

Creating and supplying a procedure

Your procedure, containing DFSORT or REXX statements or a combination of all of these, can be supplied as:

A temporary procedure, created as you process a relevant Z Data Tools panel, or invoke a relevant Z Data Tools function from a REXX program;
A saved procedure, nominated as you process a relevant Z Data Tools panel or invoke a relevant Z Data Tools function in batch or from a REXX program; or
An inline procedure, nested in a batch job stream, that invokes a relevant Z Data Tools function.

Saved procedures must reside in a member of a fixed or variable format PDS. The record length of the data set is unrestricted, but must be at least large enough for complete tokens to be entered, with consideration given to the statement continuation requirements of DFSORT (as processed by Z Data Tools, see below) and REXX. A record length of 80 meets these requirements comfortably. With this length, procedure statements can be copied into a temporary Edit session without truncation or used as an inline procedure in a JCL Edit session.

Whether a procedure is entered at the terminal, saved in a PDS, or supplied as an inline procedure in JCL, it must follow the rules described below for Z Data Tools procedures, as well as the specific rules for DFSORT and REXX statements defined by the DFSORT and REXX products.

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