Using the Command Line

You can use the Command Line on the Main tab to enter system commands such as menu fast paths and process submission requests.

Fastpath Commands

Fastpaths provide quick, direct access to list and edit screens. Fastpaths are composed of program identifiers and parameters or aliases.

If the complete program identifier or alias is unknown, enter a partial identifier or alias. You can also click the Prompt button, the Prompt icon or press F4 on any command line to display the Controls List selection window MZAE, into which you can enter selection criteria to narrow the list or click OK to display a complete list of commands and associated aliases.

1. To select and execute a command from the list, highlight the command with the cursor and click the Prompt button. If needed, the Command - Parameters screen MZAF displays for entering parameter details.
2. Click OK after typing the required and any optional parameters. The system retrieves the corresponding screen for the selected command.

Program Identifiers

The last three characters of a screen ID serve as the program ID.

For example, the screen ID for the Currency List screen is MAGA; the program ID for the screen is AGA.

To enter a fastpath, type the program ID and the required parameters on the command line.

Parameters

The system might require parameters to identify a particular record to access certain screens. Generally, parameters are mandatory for edit screens and optional for list screens.

When entering optional parameters, use commas ( , ) to separate them.

Name the parameter and use the equal sign ( = ) to give the parameter value.

For example, to access the Exchange Rate List screen MAGI, there are five optional parameters: base, non-base, rate type, from date and to date. To include only the exchange rates for a specific rate type, for example GL, enter two commas to skip the first two parameters. The command using a screen identifier is AGI ,,GL or AGI ,,RATE-TYPE=GL, where GL is the value for the rate type parameter.

Further, combine these methods to use GL as the third parameter and restrict the "to date" as January 1, 2021. The command entry using the screen identifier is

AG I ,,GL,TO-DATE=010121.

Alias

Aliases, which are combinations of abbreviations, can be combined with parameters to form fastpaths.

The first portion of the alias is usually LST for List screens or EDT for Edit screens.

The second portion is an abbreviation of the screen type.

For example, enter the alias LSTCUR in a fastpath command line rather than the program identifier AGA to access the Currency List screen MAGA.

The alias for the Exchange Rate List screen MAGI with the specific rate type of GL is LSTXRATE ,,GL or LSTXRATE ,,RATE-TYPE=GL, where GL is the value for the rate type parameter.

The alias for the Exchange Rate List screen MAGI with the "to date" restricted is LSTXRATE ,,GL,TO-DATE=010121.

NOTE When you retrieve previous commands or use Session Stack or Session Log, the system converts program identifiers into aliases.

Process Submission

You can submit processes from the command line by typing Submit XXX where XXX is the identity of the process you wish to submit. In all cases a parameter submission screen will be presented for you to complete and confirm the process submission.

Different processes will require different parameters. You can find more information under the relevant module topics.

See Background Processing for more details on submitting Processes.