Rocket AS V 6.3 Features
Rocket AS Version 6.3 Features
There are 37 new features in the following Rocket AS Version 6.3 product areas:
General AS Features
| Feature | Benefit |
| AS Client Demonstration A new application in the AS *** public library for demonstrating the operation and appearance of the Rocket.Ascent Client. |
A convenient vehicle for exploring the potential of the Rocket.Ascent Client. |
| AS Reference Application A new application in the AS *** public library that provides fast access to a list of all AS commands, functions, system values and operators, including select and search facilities. |
A new tool for finding AS keywords quickly. |
| CANCEL PASSIVE command Cancels passive commands without cancelling the current In table or any SELECT commands. |
More flexible control of the AS data environment. |
| EXPLIKE System Synonym The EXPLIKE System Synonym makes it easier to export, to a single ASTRAN file, a set of AS tables identifiable by a common string in the table name. |
Improved productivity when exporting a set of AS tables. |
| RGEN Report Generator A new sample application in the ***SAMP library provides a simple interactive Report generator, particularly useful with the Rocket.Ascent Client. |
Improved productivity through rapid Report generation. |
| RGEN System Synonym The RGEN System Synonym makes it easier to run the new sample application, ***SAMP/RGEN, a simple interactive Report generator. |
Improved usability. |
| SCREEN command extended Many of the old-style pairs of options, such as LINE and NOLINE, can now use a parameter form, such as LINE(YES) and FOLD(NO). |
More intuitive specification of Screen parameters. |
Application Development Features
| Feature | Benefit |
| @IN MASKS system array Array of 6 elements containing the fully-qualified names of the current IN tables together with the names of any associated mask tables. |
Extended information available to the application developer. |
| @INCLUDE MASKS system array Array of 24 elements containing the fully-qualified names of the current INCLUDE tables together with the names of any associated mask tables. |
Extended information available to the application developer. |
| @PROCEDURE LINENOS sys.array Array of 12 elements containing the current line numbers of the current active Procedures. |
Improved AS programming problem diagnosis. |
| INCLUDE enhancement It is now possible to add a row to an unsequenced table by using INCLUDE and specifying a row number of one greater than the number of rows in the table. |
More flexible table updating. |
| K and KK local editor commands The K and KK block commands enable you to copy a block of lines multiple times, having the meaning 'Copy and keep marked'. |
Improved programmer productivity. |
| PROCSUM sample utility A new sample application in the ***SAMP library, providing a quick method of creating summary tables with a single command and flexible total options. |
Another sample AS procedure and a simple tool for improved application development productivity. |
| PROCSUM System Synonym The PROCSUM System Synonym makes it easier to run the new sample application, ***SAMP/PROCSUM, a quick method of creating summary tables. |
Improved usability. |
| SHOWPAN delay extended The display-only time may now specify fractional seconds. |
More precise control of an AS application. |
Client Solutions Features
| Feature | Benefit |
| Configurable Look-and-Feel With Rocket.Ascent Client, you can configure the look-and-feel of SHOWPAN applications and save your preferences for style, colour, fonts, buttons, etc. |
Improved usability through control of the appearance of AS applications. |
| Enhanced SHOWPAN applications Rocket.Ascent Client presents SHOWPAN applications to users with an enhanced PC interface with menus, boxes, radio buttons, links, dialog windows etc. |
Improved usability through PC presentation and operation of AS applications. |
| PCOPTIONS command Allows an application to influence its appearance when it is being run by a PC Client. Options include PCLOOKANDFEEL, ASYNCHEDITOR, SCREENSIZE and TRACE. |
Enhances the appearance of AS applications when run by a PC Client. |
| Rocket.Ascent Client for AS The new Rocket.Ascent Client for ASv6.3 provides an Eclipse-based client for AS applications, using PC look-and-feel. |
Your AS applications gain an exciting new look with little or no development effort. |
| Rocket.Ascent Command Area The Developer Edition provides an AS Command Area which accepts single commands (as in AS) or multi-line commands (as a temporary procedure). |
Improved usability and productivity for ad hoc use. |
| Rocket.Ascent Command Editor 1 Rocket.Ascent provides a powerful PC editor for AS Command tables, including drag/drop, scrolling, find/replace etc. |
Easier editing and debugging of your AS applications. |
| Rocket.Ascent Command Editor 3 The Editor allows you to edit multiple command tables in separate windows, improving productivity and providing a new perspective on your AS applications. |
Easier editing and debugging of your AS applications. |
| Rocket.Ascent Connection Manager The Developer Edition allows you to manage multiple host connection settings in one place, plus the ability to use Copy/Paste and Import/Export. |
Improved productivity through easier connection configuration. |
| Rocket.Ascent Dialogs Rocket.Ascent Client presents many of the familiar AS menus and windows (Facilities, Data, Dictionary, Actions, Tables, Select, etc.) as PC dialogs. |
Improved usability of AS applications through a PC interface. |
| Rocket.Ascent Data Editor Rocket.Ascent provides a PC editor for AS and DB2 data tables, allowing multiple tables to be edited simultaneously. |
Easier ad hoc data editing. |
| Rocket.Ascent Developer The Developer Edition provides a customisable workplace with a range of developer tools: Explorer, Command Area, AS Output, Connections, Console etc. |
Improved developer usability and productivity. |
| Rocket.Ascent Explorer The Rocket.Ascent Explorer provides a powerful and easy way of browsing and editing your AS tables, DB2 tables, Command tables and Data Properties. |
Easier management of your host tables through PC usability and the ability to edit multiple data tables. |
| Rocket.Ascent Help & Tutorials Rocket.Ascent provides built-in help and tutorials for the operation of the Client plus the full online AS Reference manual. |
Improved usability through easy access to help through a PC interface. |
| Rocket.Ascent Import/Export Rocket.Ascent Client can Import and Export data tables (AS, CSV, HTML, XML), as well as Preferences and Conections, with the aid of a new dialog. |
More data exchange possibilities with improved usability. |
| Rocket.Ascent Viewer The Rocket.Ascent Viewer provides a user interface to a single SHOWPAN application, without a Command Line or AS menus, allowing restricted access. |
Allows greater access control for end-user applications. |
| TABLES RESERVE/RELEASE This provides a mechanism for a PC Client to reserve an AS table for update while it is being edited in a PC editor. |
Required for PC Client editing of AS tables. |
System Management
| Feature | Benefit |
| :extfilsp.tag in Names File This new Names file tag sets the space allocation values used when AS creates a new external file on MVS. |
Improved system management productivity. |
| :library. tag in Names File This new Names file tag sets the default MVS shared library location (similarly to :asfiles.), avoiding the need to have entries for every shared library. |
Improved system management productivity. |
| DASDOCAT A CMS EXEC for recovering a missing or damaged VMAS catalog. For more information, refer to the AS manual 'Supporting and Customizing (VM)'. |
A useful recovery facility for VM AS users. |
| DIAGNOSE ABEND Command Allows Rocket Software to obtain a storage dump to help diagnose a problem. |
Improved problem resolution facilities. |
| DIAGNOSE LEVEL Improvement The result format of the DIAGNOSE LEVEL DASBUILD command has been changed to improve the readability of the date. |
Improved diagnostic productivity. |
