SLED can be controlled by various means:
In attended SLED (= manual SLED), an operator dialog is performed. SLED is controlled either by the statements defined in the parameter file (which is specified by the operator) or by individual parameters entered by the operator.
In unattended SLED (= automatic SLED), there is no operator dialog. SLED is controlled via the standard SLED parameter file $TSOS.SYSPAR.SLED.<ver> or through the evaluation of default values.
The use of asynchronous command inputs can output information about the SLED run.
Limiting the SLED runtime
The default value for the runtime limit for SLED is 45 minutes. The default value can be changed in the dialog by replying to the following message with Y:
NSD1113 DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE CURRENT SLED RUNTIME LIMIT OF (&00) MINUTES ?
REPLY (Y; N; EOT=N; - (BACKTRACK))
When Y is entered as the reply, the following message is output:
NSD1114 SET RUNTIME LIMIT.
REPLY (1-999 (MINUTES); N (CURRENT LIMIT); EOT=N; - (BACKTRACK))
A runtime limitation of 1 up to 999 minutes can be specified.
SLED confirms the runtime limit set with message NSD1112.
If the runtime limit is enabled, a check is made for the first time to see if the time limit has expired after main memory has been saved, and after that after every section. If it has expired, then SLED is terminated after the SLEDMEM and SLEDLOG sections have been written.
During the dump of the paging area, the timer is checked after every 2Gbytes have been saved and the save may be terminated prematurely. The dump containing the data in the paging area may also be incomplete.
A premature termination of SLED due to the time limit expiring is announced by the messages NSD1804 and NSD1803.
SLED dialog
Advance setting of parameters
In certain messages of the initial dialog it is possible both to enter a response to the appropriate query and also to set certain parameters in advance, which would otherwise have to be queried in subsequent dialog steps or defined for the default values of SLED.
Example
NSD3000 SPECIFY OUTPUT DEVICE.
REPLY (DPUB; DPRIV; TAPE; EOT=DPUB; - (BACKTRACK))
The following responses are possible to the above message:
TAPE output to tape.
TAPE,VSN=vsn The VSN of the output medium is made known in advance
TAPE,VSN=vsn,DEV=mn,MODE=NSF The VSN of the output medium and the (partial) scope of the output data are made known in advance
TAPE,VSN=vsn,DEV=mn,MODE=NSF,TASK=ALL All parameters for the output to tape are made known in advance
The syntax is thus the same as for the parameter list of a BS2000 command, where not more than one positional operand and optionally several keyword operands may occur. The permissible combinations of positional and keyword operands can be found in the descriptions of the individual messages.
The input must not contain any blanks. The first blank encountered is treated as the end of the input.
If no positional operand is specified (i.e. either keyword operands only or no operands at all), the default value is assumed.
If a keyword operand is specified without a value (e.g. MODE=), the default value is assumed. The appropriate default value is defined by the message via which the operand value would be interrogated if no advance setting is made.
Where parameters are entered in advance, errors may occur which have the effect of the input being ignored. A message is displayed to draw attention to this fact.
Cancellation option
Some of the messages in the initial dialog can be canceled by entering “-” or “--”.
Entering “-” causes the last input to be canceled (simple cancellation).
Entering “--” causes all previous inputs to be canceled. The dialog is continued with message NSD5200, the first message in the initial dialog. In the case of a SLED with a parameter file, further processing of the parameter file is terminated after this entry.
In both cases any parameters set in advance are ignored after an appropriate message (NSD5003).
If a message contains a simple cancellation option, this is indicated in the reply section of the message:NSDxxxx ... REPLY (...; - (BACKTRACK))
SLED with parameter file
All the instructions needed for running SLED in operator-assisted or automatic mode can be parameterized in the form of a file. This parameter file, which must be created on a public disk, is used to store all the inputs to SLED; the entries are not checked for correct syntax until SLED is running.
The SLED parameter file must not be empty and must possess the following file attributes:
FILE-STRUC=SAM
BUF-LEN=STD or (STD,2)
REC-FORM=V
BLK-CONTR=PAMKEY or DATA
All the parameters for a SLED run must be contained in a record in the parameter file. The individual parameters are separated by commas. The character string must not include any blanks. Each parameter must be prefixed by the appropriate keyword. The sequence of parameters is immaterial. The parameter records must not contain lowercase letters or nonprintable characters.
For an aautomatic SLED run the parameters are read from the parameter file with the name $TSOS.SYSPAR.SLED.<ver>, which means that even in this case flexible control of the dump is assured.
If the software product HSMS is used on the system involved, systems support must ensure that the parameter file is not automatically migrated and thus made inaccessible if it is not used for a long time.
Assignment of the parameter file
The decision as to whether and which parameter file is to be used for the SLED run is made by the operator by entering the following response to message NSD5200:
NSD5200 SPECIFY NAME OF SLED PARAMETER FILE.
REPLY (NO FILE=EOT; FILENAME; STANDARD NAME=STD; END)
| A parameter file is assigned for a SLED run by entering a valid fully qualified file name in response to the message. If the catalog ID or user ID is omitted, the default options (catalog ID of the home pubset and $TSOS) are inserted. |
| By entering |
EOT (no input)EOTTnnoiinput | A null input (EOT) in response to the message means that no parameter file is used. In an operator-attended run, SLED prompts the operator for necessary input to be made from the console. |
Processing the parameter file
Parameter records that have already been processed and for which there is already a nonempty output file on magnetic disk are ignored for the next SLED request (in automatic mode without a confirmation prompt, in operator-assisted mode when the following message is answered with N):
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This makes it possible to react to multiple system interruptions (over a longer period of time) with a parameter file containing several parameter records.
All the parameters for a session must be entered in one line, e.g.
For output to private disk:
OUTPUT=DPRIV,FILE=...,MODE=,TASK=STD,VSN=*,DEV=D6For output to public disk:
OUTPUT=DPUB,FILE=...,MODE=,TASK=STDFor output to an emulated tape:
OUTPUT=TAPE,VSN=SLED*,DEV=M0,MODE=NSF,TASK=(1EF0,1431,2EE4,5QA1)
End of processing is reached when a SLEDFILE is written or when a parameter record with the character string OUTPUT=END is detected. Subsequent records are ignored and SLED terminates. In automatic SLED mode system loading is initiated.
End-of-file is indicated by an appropriate message at the console.In attended operation SLED issues the NSD5200 message again. In automatic SLED system loading is initiated.
Error behavior in operator-assisted mode (manual SLED)
If an error occurs during processing of a parameter record as a result of incorrect or missing entries, SLED prompts the operator to enter the required parameter at the console.
Once the error has been corrected or the missing data supplied, SLED continues processing the file.
If the operator decides on the cancel option, further processing is aborted.If, during processing, empty records or records containing lowercase characters or nonprintable characters are detected, SLED issues message
NSD5245asking the operator how it should proceed.
Processing of this parameter file can either be aborted or continued with the next record.
Error behavior in unattended mode (automatic SLED)
If the $TSOS.SYSPAR.SLED.<ver> file does not exist on the home pubset or SLED cannot find it (e.g. because TSOSCAT has been destroyed), SLED proceeds as for automatic SLED without a parameter file (see "SLED control".)
If the parameter file does not have the required file attributes, it is rejected and the system switches over to operator-assisted mode.
If an error occurs during processing of a parameter record as a result of incorrect entries or a lack of data, processing of the parameter file ceases and the system switches over to operator-assisted mode.
Empty parameter records of a parameter file are ignored.
If no values are specified for the MODE or TASK parameter, SLED determines these values itself.
Automatic SLED
Automatic SLED enables a memory dump to be taken without operator intervention and the system to be subsequently reloaded.
SLED is loaded in automatic mode if the “Automatic Restart” function is switched on after a system crash and SLED is set as the dump generator (see the command SET-RESTART-OPTIONS MODE=*ON(...), DUMP=*SLED). Automatic SLED is loaded from the SYSRES belonging to the home pubset of the aborted system run. Information on the automatic restart control can be output with the SHOW-RESTART-OPTIONS command.
There are two modes in which an automatic SLED can take place:
Parameter file
First, SLED looks for the default parameter file $TSOS.SYSPAR.SLED.<ver> on the home pubset. When this file has been found and if it can be processed, SLED uses the entries specified there.
Parameter records that write to non-empty disk files are ignored.Use of default values
If SLED does not find the standard parameter file $TSOS.SYSPAR.SLED.<ver>, the following default definitions are taken for executing the automatic SLED:
dump file:
$TSOS.SLEDFILEMODE parameter:
EOTTASK parameter:
EOT
This corresponds to the following statements in the parameter file:
OUTPUT=DPUB,FILE=$TSOS.SLEDFILE,MODE=,TASK=OUTPUT=END
Error condition
In the event of a serious error, SLED switches from automatic SLED to attended operation.This also applies if a parameter file is being used and missing or errored entries are detected during processing of a parameter record.
In the event of a disk availability error during an automatic SLED run (message NSD1400), the data involved is not available to SLED.
Conditions for execution without operator intervention
The SLED version must match that of the operating system.
All disk devices on which public disks or paging disks are mounted must be ready for operation.
The file $TSOS.SLEDFILE or the file assigned in the parameter file
must be set up
must have been created on the home pubset (for $TSOS.SLEDFILE only)
must not be protected against write access
must not be protected by a password
must be at least twice the size of main memory
must be logically empty
must have reached the expiration date
must not be on DRV disks.
Automatic system restart
Automatic system restart after an automatic SLED is assured in the following cases:
The automatic SLED has been completed without errors and all the accessible data could be written to a SLED output file.
The automatic SLED works without a parameter file and output file $TSOS.SLEDFILE was not empty. In this case, no data is dumped and the system is reloaded immediately.
For an automatic SLED with a parameter file, non-empty output files on magnetic disk are ignored until a SLEDFILE has been created or the end of the parameter file has been reached or a parameter record containing the character string
OUTPUT=ENDis detected.This enables more than one SLED output file to be made available which can then be written to one after the other in different SLED runs.
The parameter file contains only one parameter record with the instruction
OUTPUT=ENDThe operator has the option in this case of initiating an automatic system restart without creating diagnostic data.
Asynchronous command inputs
In the case of SLED, an asynchronous input is any input made from the console which is not a response to a message. Analogous to the BS2000 commands all asynchronous commands begin with a slash (/).
These commands cannot be entered at any desired point within the SLED run. Generally they are not permitted unless the start dialog has been completed and processing of the dump has begun.
The following asynchronous input is processed; all others are rejected with an appropriate message.
STATUS command
This command provides the operator with information on the status of the SLED run.
The last block that has been written by SLED is output. This gives the operator the opportunity to determine how far the SLED run has progressed, even while a section is still being processed.
SLED messages
SLED messages begin with the message code NSDxxxx.
The number designated by “xxxx” has the following possible meanings:
09xx | Execution of non-standard SLED | |
| 1xxx | Execution: | |
| 10xx 11xx 12xx 14xx 16xx 18xx 19xx | Start and termination Inconsistencies Internal errors Disk availability Disk access Scope of dump Automatic SLED | |
| 3xxx | Output: | |
| 30xx 32xx 33xx 34xx 36xx 38xx 39xx | General Disk file Disk error Private disk Public disks Tape Tape error | |
| 5xxx | Input processing: | |
| 50xx 52xx 55xx 56xx | Advance setting of parameters Parameter file Specific checks Asynchronous inputs | |
| 7xxx | Sections of SLED output: | |
| 72xx 73xx 74xx 76xx 78xx 79xx | Main memory HSA PSA System files Virtual areas SLEDLOG | |