Overview
BSPHRCMD version 1.0.2, an assembler utility from Volker Bandke, is used to issue Hercules console commands from MVS 3.8J via the DIAG 8 interface. Based on my knowledge, this utility program is included in MVS 3.8J TK3UPD and MVS 3.8J TK4- (from Juergen Winkelmann) systems.
My current system was installed using the original MVS Tur(n)key System TK3 CD-ROM and did NOT include BSPHRCMD… Before any TK3UPD updates!
However, overtime, I have applied user modifications from TK3UPD releases and others. Currently, I am using HERCMDC by Philippe Leite (CBT File #589) to issue Hercules console commands from MVS 3.8J.
Recently, I installed BSPHRCMD, simply, to be compatible with other common utilities present in most MVS 3.8J hobbyist installations.
During the transition to BSPHRCMD, I noticed a printing anomaly with the command processing report generated on DD SYSPRINT. Referring to the below report snippet, the heading is printed correctly on a new page.
However, the command processing report is printed on a separate page with overlapping process lines (2 messages)! See the report snippet below:
The above reports are piped into a PDF capture process from Hercules after MVS spools the report to the emulated printer device. This rendering behavior may be incorrect! Therefore, let’s interrogate the RAW data generated from BSPHRCMD under MVS to SYSPRINT!
Before springing into a discussion on RAW data, we need a refresher on printer carriage control characters.
Carriage Control Printer Character Action ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | Advance to top of page before printing + | Do not advance before printing Blank | Advance 1 line before printing 0 | Advance 2 lines before printing - | Advance 3 lines before printing
The below RAW data capture contains 9 133-byte records truncated to 100 bytes for discussion purposes.
RAW data from SYSPRINT 1---5----0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0 000001 1BSPHRCMD Version 1.0.2 000002 0 l _,,,---,,_ 000003 ZZZzz /,:.-':' -. ;-;;, 000004 ,4- ) )-,_. ,( ( :'-' 000005 '---''(_/--' :-')_) 000006 0 Placed into the Hercules Domain 000007 by Volker Bandke, BSP GmbH 000008 1BSPHC91I - Processing command: DEVLIST 000009 1BSPHC99I - End of processing, MAXRC=0000 ^ + + +------- Printer Control Character
Now, let’s take on the role of a 1403 printer and process the RAW data!
Record 1, contains a 1 in position 1 which advances the printer paper to top of page before printing content.
Record 2 contains a 0 in position 1 which advances the page 2 lines (double-space) before printing content.
Records 3-5 contain a space in position 1 which advances the page 1 line (single-space) before printing content.
Record 6 contains a 0 in position 1 which advances the page 2 lines (double-space) before printing content.
Record 7 contain a space in position 1 which advances the page 1 line (single-space) before printing content.
At this point, the title and page number header and logo are printed as page 1 consuming 9 physical lines of content.
Records 8 and 9 represent command process reporting.
Record 8 contains a 1 in position 1 which advances the printer paper to top of page before printing content.
Record 9 contains a 1 in position 1 which advances the printer paper to top of page before printing content.
At this point, 3 pages are printed!!!
Solution
My Assumption:
Create a process report page comprised of page header (BSPHRCMD title and page number) with logo followed by MSGTXT lines limited to 55 lines per page. On page overflow, augment page number, print page header, logo and current detail MSGTRXT line on a new page.
After a quick review of BSPHRCMD, a solution to my assumption, is to initialize the carriage control field (PRNTCC) with a space and augment the line counter (LINENUM) including a correction to initialize LINENUM in subroutine PUTMSG.
This results in MSGTEXT printing as single-spaced while accumulating print lines to facilitate page overflow detection.
See the below BSPHRCMD snippet for highlighted modifications.
TITLE 'Subroutines: PUTMSG - Display an error message' 00610000
*********************************************************************** 00620000
* Routine to display an error message. The error message is assumed * 00630000
* to be stored in the MSGTEXT area (and is at most 124 bytes long) * 00640000
* The messages will be written to SYSPRINT DD if available and open. * 00650000
* If not, the messages will be isssued via WTO * 00660000
* * 00670000
* Registers on Entry: R14 = Return address * 00680000
*********************************************************************** 00690000
SPACE 1 00700000
PUTMSG DS 0H , output message on sysprint/wto 00710000
STM R14,R3,PUTMSAVE , save registers 00720000
IF (TM,PROCFLAG,PRNTOPEN,O) SYSPRINT available? 00730000
IF (CP,LINENUM,GT,=PL2'55') end of page reached? 00740000
MVC PRNTLINE,HEAD001 , Put in page header 00750000
ZAP LINENUM,=P'09' , reinit line number 00760000
AP PAGENUM,=P'1' , increment page number 00770000
MVC HEAD0011,=X'40202120' , insert edit mask 00780000
ED HEAD0011,PAGENUM , beautify page number 00790000
PUT SYSPRINT,PRNTLINE , write page header 00800000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C1 , Insert LOGO1 00810000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C2 , Insert LOGO2 00820000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C3 , Insert LOGO3 00830000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C4 , Insert LOGO4 00840000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C5 , Insert LOGO5 00850000
PUT SYSPRINT,HEAD0C6 , Insert LOGO6 00860000
ENDIF 00870000
MVI PRNTCC,C' ' , assume single spacing ********
BLANK PRNTTEXT , erase any garbage 00880000
MVC PRNTTEXT(L'MSGTEXT),MSGTEXT 00890000
PUT SYSPRINT,PRNTLINE 00900000
AP LINENUM,=P'1' , increment line number ********
ELSE , no SYSPRINT, use WTO instead 00910000
WTO MF=(E,THEWTO) 00920000
ENDIF 00930000
XR R15,R15 , clear RC 00940000
ST R15,PUTMSAVE+4 , set caller's RC 00950000
LM R14,R3,PUTMSAVE , restore return address 00960000
BR R14 , and return 00970000
After applying the suggested modification, the report prints correctly on one page!
The below RAW data validates the solution based on above assumption.
RAW data from SYSPRINT after modification to BSPHRCMD 1---5----0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0----5---0 000001 1BSPHRCMD Version 1.0.2 000002 0 l _,,,---,,_ 000003 ZZZzz /,:.-':' -. ;-;;, 000004 ,4- ) )-,_. ,( ( :'-' 000005 '---''(_/--' :-')_) 000006 0 Placed into the Hercules Domain 000007 by Volker Bandke, BSP GmbH 000008 BSPHC91I - Processing command: DEVLIST 000009 BSPHC99I - End of processing, MAXRC=0000 ^ + + +------- Printer Control Character
Hope you find this post helpful….
Of course, your assumption may be different from mine which results in a different and valid solution.
Please use the comment box below or the contact us link on the menu bar to communicate suggestions, and/or improvements.
Have fun!
Larry Belmontes