Syntax files of type GROUP may also be supplied with software products. These contain the definitions of commands and programs which are to be available only to certain user IDs. They can be modified with SDF-A. System administration can also create group syntax files with SDF-A. With SDF-I [2 (Related publications)] they are merged into the appropriate group syntax file. The modifications, such as functional restrictions, apply to all user IDs to which the group syntax file is assigned.
A group syntax file may contain extensions, restrictions and other modifications with respect to the system syntax files. By assigning a group syntax file, system administration can match the available functional scope precisely to the needs of certain users.
If, for example, system administration has restricted the functional scope in the basic system syntax file, a group syntax file can be used to cancel these restrictions for certain user IDs. Conversely, a group syntax file can be used to prevent certain user IDs from using functions available on a global basis.
A group syntax file may be activated, but need not be. System administration assigns it to a profile ID via the file name. A profile ID may be assigned to one or more user IDs. User IDs with the same profile ID all use the same group syntax file (see section “Naming conventions").
With the MODIFY-SDF-PARAMETERS command, system administration can
change an existing assignment,
cancel an existing assignment, or
assign a group syntax file to a profile ID for the first time.
The SCOPE operand defines this assignment as permanent, permanent as of the next session, or valid for the current session only. A specification made with MODIFY-SDF-PARAMETERS applies only to tasks generated after this specification. The period of validity for this specification can be defined more precisely with the SCOPE operand. Existing tasks remain unaffected. When a group syntax file is assigned to a profile ID, it is automatically activated following processing of the SET-LOGON-PARAMETERS command. It remains activated until the end of the task.
Only one group syntax file can ever be activated per task. At startup, SDF generates a class 4 list containing the names of the group syntax files and the related profile IDs as laid down in the SDF parameter file.
If the group syntax file to be activated is not available when the LOGON command is processed, e.g. because it is being processed itself, a message is output and the task is created without the group syntax file.
A warning is output if the SDF parameter file does not exist or is invalid. If the TSOS group syntax file to be activated is invalid, SDF issues a console prompt requesting a correct TSOS group syntax file. Thereafter, this group syntax file is the one activated at the next LOGON under TSOS.
The basic system syntax file containing the command and program definitions for the user IDs TSOS, SYSPRIV and SYSAUDIT is the only one required as of BS2000/OSD-BC V1.0. Since the TSOS, SECURITY-ADMINISTRATION, SAT-FILE-MANAGEMENT and SAT-FILE-EVALUATION privileges are assigned to these definitions, this special functionality is available only to those users who possess the corresponding privileges.
Group syntax files are supplied in conjunction with certain products or created by the users themselves with the aid of SDF-A.