Package Description Methods
When you execute the Create Package function, many of the ISPF panel fields in the process are displayed with values stored in your ISPF profile from the last time you created a package. You can use the displayed information for your new package, or you can overtype that information with new values.
You have three choices for entering the rest of the descriptive and control information required to create your new package: the long method, the short method, and copy package forward option. You choose which method to use on the first Create Package panel.
Long Method
When you choose the Long Method, all panels in the Create Package process are displayed. You are required to type information in free form text description fields.
Short Method
When you choose the Short Method, two panels (CMNCRT02, CMNCRT03) in the Create Package process are skipped, and the fields on those panels are set to default values. This table shows the default field values for the two skipped panels:
| Skipped Panel | Panel Field | Short Method Default Value |
|---|---|---|
| CMNCRT02 Create: Package Description | Free form description text | “NONE” |
| CMNCRT03 Create: Implementation Instructions | Contingency | The default will be option 1 if you have never created a package using the long method, otherwise it will use the last option selected by the user. |
| 1 -Hold production and contact analyst | ||
| 2 -Backout change, continue production | ||
| 3 -Other: | ||
| Job scheduler | Value in Default job scheduler fields from Application Parameters | |
| Free form instruction text | “NONE” |
You can use the Update Package Information function to go back later and replace the default information with your own values and text.
No Package Description
When you choose option D (No package description), panel CMNCRT02 in the Create Package process is not displayed. Package description will be ’None’. All other panels are displayed.
No Implementation Instructions
When you choose option I (No implementation instructions), panel CMNCRT03 in the Create Package process is not displayed. Package implementation instructions will be ’None’. All other panels are displayed.
Copy Package Forward
You can use an existing package as a model to create a new package. When you type a package ID in the Package to Copy Forward field on the first Create Package panel, the fields displayed on all subsequent panels are copied from the package you specified. You can overtype this information with new information.
The list of package components from the original package is copied into your new package. The status of these components is INACTIVE because the components on this list have not been copied to staging libraries for the new package. Later, you can delete
component names from this list or use the list of component names to check components out from baseline.
Note
Utility requests (scratch and rename components) are not copied forward into the new package.