ISPF Editor - A Quick Reference Guide

Some Keybindings

F3

exits the editor or swithes to a previously open dataset (when more than one was loaded), automatically saves your work

F5

repeats find without re-entering the character string (like the RFIND command)

F7

scrolls up one page

F8

scrolls down one page

PA1

(On an unmodified x3270 session, the PA1 key is Left Alt-1).
Normally, you should not use this key while you are in ISPF full-screen mode.
Generally, PA1 is used to terminate TSO commands or CLISTs running under ISPF. However, some TSO commands and CLISTs process PA1 in their own way.

Primary Commands

(commands are not case sensitive)

REC ON (or RECOVERY ON)

enables UNDO

UNDO

undoes the last change. You can repeat UNDO to reverse changes, until the last SAVE

SAVE

saves the work

CAN (or CANCEL)

exits the editor without saving the changes

CRE B (or CREATE B)

creates the member B;
if you need the new member have the contents of the current one, don't press Enter yet, enter C99999 in the line 1 prefix and only after that press Enter
(the same result can be achieved using the ISPF's COPY primary command

EDIT A

brings the member A for editing (the original member remains in memory, to go back to it use the END or CANCEL command)

FSOME STRING (or FIND ...)

searches for the SOME STRING string.

BNDS1 8

sets the boundaries to columns,
for example, BNDS 1 8 will set the boundaries to columns 1 to 8, this means that FIND and CHANGE commands will only apply to data within columns 1-8
(to reset the boundaries to the whole record, enter BNDS without operands)

Cxxxxxxxx NUMBER ALL

changes all xxxxxxxx to the word NUMBER

HILITEAUTO

enables the coloring options for language sensitive coloring

COPY'D80WW.ES10V15.CNTL(TABLE)'

inserts data from the TABLE member of the D80WW.ES10V15.CNTL dataset (similar to the :0 read command in vim)

COPYA

A shorter way of inserting data for cases when the TABLE member is of the same dataset

TSO EX'TSOCA03.ES10.PDS(LITLGAME)'

starts the LITLGAME REXX program starts the LITLGAME REXX program from the TSOCA03.ES10.PDS partitioned dataset

RES (or RESET)

Removes the ruler and the messages in the editing area

SORTNX A 3 15 A 18 31

sorts the records
the parameters used in this example mean the following:
NX - sort only non-excluded lines (with the x line command), the excluded lines remain where they are.
A 3 15 - ascending order for columns 3 to 15 (for example, these columns could be used to hold last names)
A 18 31 - ascending order for columns 18 to 31 (and these columns could be used to hold first names)

Line Commands (typed in the prefix area on the left)

(commands are not case sensitive)

COLS (can be entered on any line, apart from the top)

displays a ruler

c (copy)

used to indicate a record to be copied to another place in the member
(similar to :y in vim)

m (move)

used to indicate a record to be moved to another place in the member
(somewhat similar to :d in vim)

a (after) and b (before)
both a and b work in conjunction with the c and m line commands

The editor will insert a copy of the record marked with c or m either after or before the target record.
(similar to :put and :put!, respectively, in vim)

o (overlay)
works in conjunction with the c and m line commands

used to indicate a record to be overlaid (with the previously copied one)

oo (overlay for multiple records)
works in conjunction with the c and m line commands

used to indicate a range of records to be overlaid (with the previously copied one). To mark a range, enter oo at the first and the last record of that range.

i (insert)

inserts a new record(s), shifting the current and the records beneath it down.
(similar to :i in vim, but in vim multiple lines can be inserted and to indicate the end of insertion, a line containing only . (dot) is to be entered, following the Enter)

r (repeat)

duplicates the record. It simply copies the record and inserts the copy right under it (in one step)
(similar to :t. or :copy. in vim)

x (exclude)

If there is a section of code in a program that you want to be ignored when using the FIND and CHANGE commands, you can exclude that section using the x line command and then, for example, use C AAA BBB NX ALL (change all non-excluded instances of AAA to BBB).

uc

converts characters to uppercase

lc

converts characters to lowercase