MVS system commands reference

This topic describes the functions, syntax, and parameters of all the MVS™ base control program (BCP) system commands. You can use these commands to control both the system itself and multiple console support (MCS), Start of change HMC multiple console support (HMCS) End of change or SNA multiple console support (SMCS) consoles.

Table 1 sums up the MVS BCP system commands and their functions. The figure shows the operator command groups for each command and tells whether you can enter the command from the job stream, an MCS, Start of change HMCS End of change or SMCS console, or an extended MCS console session. An extended MCS console session is established either by the TSO/E CONSOLE command as an interactive TSO/E session or by a program issuing the MCSOPER macro so the program can receive messages and issue commands. See z/OS TSO/E System Programming Command Reference for information about the TSO/E CONSOLE command. See z/OS MVS Programming: Authorized Assembler Services Reference LLA-SDU for information about the MCSOPER macro.

An installation can use RACF® to control which consoles and commands operators can use. For more information, see z/OS MVS Planning: Operations.

Operator commands may contain the following characters:

A to Z
0 to 9
' # $ & ( ) * + , - . / ¢ < | ! ; ¬ % _ > ? : @ " =

The system translates characters that are not valid into null characters (X'00').

You can enter operator commands in uppercase or lowercase. Unless enclosed in apostrophes, lowercase letters are converted to uppercase. Therefore, when a lowercase response is required, you must enclose the text in apostrophes. Also, when an apostrophe appears in the text of a command and the text is enclosed in apostrophes, you must enter two apostrophes in the text. For example, you would enter:

SEND 'Your job''s done'

You can enter system commands through a multiple console support (MCS) console, Start of change

HMC multiple console support (HMCS) console, End of change

SNA multiple console support (SMCS) console, extended MCS (EMCS) console or through the input stream (submitted JCL). Table 1 indicates from which types of consoles a command is accepted. Superscripts denote footnotes that can be found on the last page of the table. All examples show the format for MCS, Start of change

HMCS

and SMCS console entry.

Note:

If you enter a system command through a submitted JCL in a JES2 system, enter $VS,‘system command’ when you enter the command between jobs, and enter //b system command when you enter the command within a job.
Do not use the JES backspace character within a system command.

Following the summary figure is a topic on command syntax and format. The syntax rules are shown in How to read syntax conventions.

The rest of this topic consists of a description of each command in more detail. The descriptions are in alphabetical order by command name. Each description lists the functions that the command performs followed by the command’s syntax and parameters. The syntax and parameters of complex commands follow subsets of the listed functions. Descriptions of the parameters and keywords appear in the order in which they appear in the syntax.

Table 1. System command summary
Command (abbr)	Function	Acceptable from	Command group
ACTIVATE	Build the interface to and invoke the hardware configuration definition (HCD) application program interface.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
CANCEL (C)	Cancel a MOUNT command Cancel a time-sharing user Cancel a cataloged procedure Cancel a job in execution Cancel a started catalog procedure Cancel an external writer allocation Cancel the writing of a SYSOUT data set by an external writer session Cancel a running APPC/MVS transaction program Cancel a z/OS UNIX System Services process	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
CHNGDUMP (CD)	Override dump options specified in parmlib, on the ABEND, CALLRTM, and SETRP macros, and in the SDUMP parameter list	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
CMDS	DISPLAY or SHOW information about commands that are executing or waiting for execution ABEND, FORCE or REMOVE executing commands or commands waiting for execution DUMP the address space where commands typically run (Master and Console)	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO MASTER
CONFIG (CF)	Place processors online or offline Place central storage elements online or offline Place amounts of central storage online or offline Place ranges of central storage online or offline Place channel paths online or offline Place Vector Facilities online or offline	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles²	MASTER
CONTROL (K)	Change display area specifications Delete certain messages Halt printing of a status display Control area displays Remove information from the screens Activate, deactivate, or display the status of the action message retention facility Change or display the number of allowed message and reply buffers Change or display message deletion or format specifications Change or display the status of WTO user exit IEAVMXIT Define commands for PFKs Purge message queue of a console. Change operating mode of console Select the message levels for a console Increase the RMAX value In a sysplex, change the maximum time MVS waits before aggregating messages from routed commands	MCS, HMCS and SMCS consoles	INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO MASTER MASTER INFO MASTER INFO or MASTER INFO or MASTER INFO INFO INFO MASTER
DEVSERV (DS)	Display current status of devices and corresponding channel paths	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
DISPLAY (D)	Display PCIE information Display APPC/MVS configuration information Display ASCH configuration information Display IOS configuration Display console configuration information Display z/OS UNIX System Services information Display MVS message service and current available languages Display status of external time reference (ETR) ports Display status of hardware instrumentation services (HIS) Display status information for trace Display system requests and status of the AMRF Display CONTROL command functions Display configuration information Display status of HyperSwap® function and device pairs in the PPRC configuration Display device allocation Display current system status Display system information requests Display local and Greenwich mean time and date Display status or contents of SYS1.DUMP data sets and captured data sets Display dump options in effect Display SMF options in effect or SMF data sets Display information about the cross system coupling facility information (XCF) Display information about operation information (OPDATA) in a sysplex, or display the settings made by the SETCON MONITOR command Display information about the SMS configuration or the status of SMS volumes or storage groups or SMS trace options Display information about all subsystems defined to MVS	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
DISPLAY (D) (continued)	Display page data set information Display current MIH time intervals for individual devices, or for device classes Display SLIP trap information Display commands defined for PFKs Displays the contents of the Program Properties Table (PPT) Display the messages MPF is processing and color, intensity, and highlighting display options in effect Display entries in the list of APF-authorized program libraries Display dynamic exits Display information about the LNKLST set Display information about modules dynamically added to the LPA Display state of the systems, a particular system’s CTCs, the status of an RNL change, or the contents of RNLs in the global resource serialization complex Display the status of the active workload management service policy for systems or application environments Display information about registered products and the product enablement policy Display information about system logger and log stream resources Display information about message flood automation Display information about MVS Device Allocation group locks Display information about MVS Device Allocation settings Display information about Global resource serialization. Including configuration and usage information, as well as ENQ and Latch contention and dependency analysis Display information about the current auto-reply policy and the WTORs being monitored by auto-reply processing Display Generic Tracker Information	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
DUMP	Request a dump of virtual storage to be stored in a SYS1.DUMP data set	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
DUMPDS (DD)	Change the system’s list of SYS1.DUMP data sets Clear full SYS1.DUMP data sets and make them available for dumps	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
FORCE	Force termination of: A MOUNT command A job in execution An external writer allocation The writing of a SYSOUT data set by an external writer A non-cancellable job, time-sharing user, or started task A running APPC/MVS transaction program Or a task within one of the above	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
HALT (Z)	Record statistics before stopping the system (Must first stop subsystem processing with a subsystem command)	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
IOACTION (IO)	Stop or resume I/O activity to DASD	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
LIBRARY (LI)	Eject a volume from a library of removable storage media. Reactivate processing for certain installation exits without stopping or restarting the object access method (OAM). Set or display the media type of scratch volumes that the system places into the cartridge loader of a device within a tape library. Display tape drive status.	MCS, HMCS and SMCS consoles	SYS
LOG (L)	Enter comments in the system log	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
LOGOFF	To log off MCS, HMCS and SMCS consoles	MCS, HMCS and SMCS consoles	INFO
LOGON	To access the MCS, HMCS and SMCS consoles	MCS, HMCS and SMCS console	INFO
MODE	Control recording of or suppress system recovery and degradation machine check interruptions on the logrec data set Control the monitoring of hard machine check interruptions	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
MODIFY (F)	Change characteristics of a job by modifying the job parameters Specify criteria an external writer uses to select data sets for processing Cause an external writer to pause for operator intervention Manage the data collection in hardware instrumentation services (HIS) Build a new LLA directory Display information about the catalog address space or request the catalog address space to perform a specified service. Modify TSO/VTAM time-sharing Rebuild a new LNKLST directory Display the status of the DLF, or change DLF parameters or processing mode	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
MONITOR (MN)	Continuously display data set status Continuously display job status Monitor time-sharing users logging on and off the system	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
MOUNT (M)	Mount volumes	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	I/O
PAGEADD (PA)	Add local page data sets Specify data sets as non-VIO page data sets	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
PAGEDEL (PD)	Delete, replace, or drain a local page data set (PLPA, common page data sets, and the last local page data set cannot be deleted, replaced or drained)	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
QUIESCE	Put system in MANUAL state without affecting step timing.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
REPLY (R)	Reply to system information requests. Reply to system requests during recovery processing. Specify component trace options after issuing TRACE CT. Specify system parameters. Set the time-of-day clock. Specify SMF options. Specify DUMP options.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
RESET (E)	Assign work to a new workload management service class. Also, quiesce and resume executing work. Force a hung console device offline.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS MASTER
ROUTE (RO)	Direct a command to another system, to all systems, or to a subset of systems in the sysplex.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
SEND (SE)	Communicate with other operators. Communicate with specific time-sharing users. Communicate with all time-sharing users. Save messages in the broadcast data set for issuance at TSO LOGON time or when requested. List messages accumulated in the notices section of the broadcast data set. Delete a message from the notices section of the broadcast data set.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
SET (T)	Add modules to, or delete modules from, the LPA dynamically. Change: the local time and date the system resources manager (SRM) parameters the MPF parameters the dump analysis and elimination (DAE) parameters SLIP processing by changing the active IEASLPxx parmlib member SMS parameters by selecting member IGDSMSxx in , start SMS if not started at IPL, or restart SMS if it cannot be restarted automatically available PFK tables MIH time intervals by changing the active IECSIOSxx parmlib member excessive spin-loop timeout interval recovery actions RNLs by selecting new GRSRNLxx parmlib members the APPC/MVS address space information the APPC/MVS transaction scheduler information the PPT information the active console group definitions in the sysplex the MMS parameters the command installation exits the system is to use the product enablement policy the system is to use the Generic Tracker parameters (GTZ). Restart SMF or change SMF parameters by changing the active SMFPRMxx parmlib member. Start or stop the common storage and tracking functions. Start, refresh, or stop MMS. Update: the APF list and dynamic exits the format or contents of the APF list the LNKLKST set for LNKLST concatenation the system logger (IXGLOGR) address space information by changing the active IXGCNFxx parmlib member. Specify the MSGFLDxx parmlib member for the system to use.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
	Activate auto-reply processing on a system by specifying the AUTORxx parmlib member that the system is to use. Add additional MCS console definitions without an IPL.
SETALLOC	Modify a Device Allocation parameter that was set at IPL by an ALLOCxx parmlib member or after IPL by a previous SETALLOC command.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETAPPC	Dynamically define or modify the APPC/MVS configuration.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETAUTOR	Deactivate auto-reply processing on a system or have auto-reply stop monitoring an outstanding WTOR.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETCEE	Override system-level Language Environment options.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETCON	Set console services mode of operations, control enablement of monitor messages and delete extraneous consoles.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
SETETR	Enable external time reference (ETR) ports that have been disabled	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETGRS	Migrate a currently active global resource serialization ring complex to a global resource serialization star complex Modify the current RESMIL or TOLINT values Set the system values for GRSQ SYNCHRES ENQMAXA ENQMAXU Change the contention notifying system (CNS) in a global resource serialization complex	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
SETGTZ	Control the Generic Tracker	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETHS	Manage HyperSwap.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	I/O
SETIOS	Respecify, add, or delete MIH time intervals, update DCM, enable/disable FICON® statistics, and enable/disable the MIDAW facility, all without changing the active IECIOSxx parmlib member	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETLOAD	Switch dynamically from one parmlib concatenation to another without having to initiate an IPL, or dynamically update the system symbols on your local system without an IPL.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETLOGR	Take action on system logger log stream resources.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MVS console ²	MASTER
SETLOGRC	Change the logrec recording medium.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
SETMF	Change the message flood automation state or parameters.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETOMVS	Change the options that z/OS UNIX System Services uses.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETPROG	Update APF list Update dynamic exits Update the LNKLST set Dynamically add modules to, or delete modules from, the LPA.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETRRS	Control RRS processing: SETRRS ARCHIVELOGGING will disable or enable archive logging on a given system SETRRS CANCEL will end RRS processing SETRRS SHUTDOWN will end RRS without resulting in a X'058' abend	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETSMF (SS)	Change SMF parameters without changing the active SMFPRMxx parmlib member	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
SETSMS	Change SMS parameters without changing the active IGDSMSxx parmlib member	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
SETSSI	Dynamically add, activate or deactivate a subsystem.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
SETUNI	Control the Unicode environment.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console.²	SYS
SETXCF	Control the cross-system coupling facility (XCF)	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	MASTER
SLIP (SL)	Set SLIP traps Modify SLIP traps Delete SLIP traps	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
START (S)	Start a job from a console Start the advanced program-to-program communication (APPC/MVS) address space Start the APPC/MVS scheduler (ASCH) address space Start the data facility storage management subsystem (DFSMS/MVS) license compliance facility Start the generalized trace facility (GTF) Start hardware instrumentation services (HIS) Start the library lookaside (LLA) address space Start the object access method (OAM) Start resource recovery services (RRS) Start the system object model (SOM) Start TSO/VTAM time-sharing Start the virtual lookaside facility (VLF) or the data lookaside facility (DLF) Start an external writer	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
STOP (P)	Stop a job in execution Stop an address space Stop an ASCH initiator Stop an initiator Stop the data lookaside facility (DLF) Stop the generalized trace facility (GTF) Stop hardware instrumentation services (HIS) Stop the library lookaside (LLA) address space Stop the object access method (OAM) Stop the system object model (SOM) Stop TSO/VTAM time-sharing Stop the virtual lookaside facility (VLF) Stop an external writer	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
STOPMN (PM)	Stop continual display of data set status Stop continual display of job status Stop monitoring the activity of time-sharing users.	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	INFO
SWAP (G)	Move a volume from one device to another	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles ²	I/O
SWITCH (I)	Manually switch recording of SMF data from one data set to another	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS
TRACE	Start, stop, or modify system trace Start, stop, or modify master trace Start, stop, or modify component trace Display the status of system trace, master trace, or component trace	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS console ²	SYS MASTER MASTER SYS
UNLOAD (U)	Remove a volume from system use	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	I/O
VARY (V)	Control the hardcopy message set and the hardcopy medium. Change the status of a console Change the SMS status of a storage group or volume for one or more MVS systems in the SMS complex Place I/O devices online or offline Assign and control consoles Place I/O paths online or offline Remove a system from a sysplex Place I/O paths online after C.U.I.R service Change a system’s participation in a global resource serialization complex Change routing codes for a console Activate a workload management service policy for a sysplex Control an application environment Process devices or a path to devices attached to a control unit	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream	MASTER, I/O, or CONS¹
WRITELOG (W)	Schedule printing of system log Change system log output class Close the system log and discontinue the log function Restart system log after closing	MCS, HMCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles or job stream ²	SYS
Note: This command is in a different command authority group depending on the parameters specified on the command. See Table 1 for more information. An extended MCS console can be either an interactive TSO/E session or a program that issues the MCSOPER macro.