Customizing ChangeMan ZMF for Your Site

You can customize ChangeMan ZMF by modifying skeletons, implementing exits, and establishing initial history records.

Modify Skeletons

JCL for ChangeMan ZMF batch jobs is created by ISPF file tailoring services. These services read members in ISPF skeleton libraries and use variables provided by ZMF to control skeleton logic and set JCL values to build job JCL. The generated JCL is submitted to the z/OS internal reader for execution.

Many ZMF skeleton can be used as they are delivered with ChangeMan ZMF. You must customize other skeletons to fit your environment and your implementation of ZMF. The ChangeMan ZMF Installation Guide lists skeletons that you must modify regardless of your ZMF implementation, and the ChangeMan ZMF Customization Guide provides general information about customizing ZMF skeletons.

Implement Exits

ChangeMan ZMF is delivered with program exits, which are assembler subprograms that modify the normal behavior of ZMF functions. You can activate and customize these exits to make ChangeMan ZMF fit your requirements for software change management. The ChangeMan ZMF Customization Guide includes general information about customizing ZMF exits and a description of each exit program. You may also investigate the powerful HLL exits described in the ChangeMan ZMF High Level Language Functional Exits Getting Started Guide in this release.

Establish Initial History Records

ChangeMan ZMF keeps information about components (also called history) in the component master file. This information includes compile and link options for the component. These options are used during the compile, recompile and relink processes.

It may be beneficial to pre-load this information before components are accessed through ChangeMan ZMF. CMNBAHST allows you to establish an initial history record for components. (Utility CMNBAHST is described in the ChangeMan ZMF Customization Guide.)