Customizing menus and views

This section describes the components of the Web User Interface menus and views that you can customize to create your working environment. You use the CICSPlex® SM Web User Interface view editor to customize the menus and views. How to use the view editor is described in Using the view editor.

The CICSPlex SM Web User Interface includes a set of views and menus (see Web User Interface supplied views and menus) that you can use either as supplied or as the basis from which to create your own customized WUI. For example, you might want to create views that apply to a specific task or set of data.

You can create your own version using a supplied menu or view as a model, or you can start from an empty menu or view.

Views and view sets

A view set is a number of related views that are used together to manage the same managed object, that is, a CICS® or a CICSPlex SM resource represented by a resource table. You can create as many view sets for a particular managed object as you like.

A view is a display that is used to interact in a particular way with the managed object. Each view is contained within a view set, and is always displayed in the work frame of the Web User Interface display. There are three types of view:

For general use, view sets and views are identified by names of up to 16 alphanumeric characters. View set names must be unique within the server repository. View names are unique within a view set. It is recommended that you adopt a naming convention for the naming of view sets and views.

Note:
For IBM® use, and for use by independent software vendors (ISVs) an underscore (_) is permitted in view set names. View set and menu names beginning with IBM_ and with EYU are reserved for IBM use.

The Web User Interface includes a set of view sets that you can use either as supplied or as the basis from which to create your own customized views.

Tabular views

You use a tabular view to display:

When you create a tabular display, you first select the managed object and then the attributes you want to display. The view editor offers you the choice of all the attributes available for that managed object. You can create one or more tabular views for each managed object, each tabular view containing attributes that are relevant to a specific task.

Start of changeFields in a tabular display can be defined as text or graphical representations. They are display only and cannot be modified. You can specify whether the data for that attribute can be sorted in ascending and descending order, and whether the attribute can be used as the basis for a summarized view. Depending on the type of data in the column, you can also indicate how this attribute should be summarized on a summarized view when another attribute in the same view is used as the basis of a summary view.

Note:
Specifying a summary type for an attribute, will set the same summary type for all fields using the same attribute name on the view.
End of change

You can link from a tabular view to one or more tabular and detail views, depending on the task you want the user to perform. For example, from a tabular view of task resources, you could link to detail views showing clock settings, terminal details, and so on. See Components of a view for details of how you might do this.

You can add buttons to a tabular view that perform an action immediately, or you can choose to display a confirmation panel. See Confirmation panels for details.

You can control the display options available to each tabular view. These display options allow you to:

The summarized view is a special case of the tabular view. When you create a tabular view, you specify which of the attributes in the view may be used as the basis of the summary view. You can select as many attributes as you like, or none at all. When a tabular view is summarized, the same view is used to display the summarized data.

Detailed views

Start of changeYou use a detailed view to display a selection of attribute information for a particular instance of a resource and also to allow the user to change attribute values. You can opt to display the information in one or two columns. Two-column detailed views increase the amount of data that can be displayed on your screen and reduce the need for screen scrolling. Each column includes the attribute name, the attribute value, and an optional annotation. See Creating a two-column detailed view for guidance on creating a two-column view.End of change

You can define an attribute value field to be:

The optional annotation text appears to the right of the attribute value and can be used to provide additional information, such as names, valid values, and warnings.

It is advisable to keep the annotation text short, otherwise the contents of the detail view may become less clear.

You can include white space (blank lines) in a detail view to separate groups of attributes. You may also include static text that can be used to provide titles for groups of related attribute fields, or to form explicitly labeled links to other views.

A detail view can be used simply to provide information for the user, but you can also use a detail view to implement a SET action, allowing the user to change one or more attributes for the selected instance of the managed object.

You can link from a detail view to one or more detail or tabular views, depending on the task you want the user to perform. For example, from a detail view of a task resource, you could link to other detail views showing clock settings, terminal details, and so on. See Components of a view for details of how you might do this.

You can add buttons to a detail view that perform an action immediately, or you can choose to display a confirmation panel. See Confirmation panels for details.

You can control the display options available to each detail view. These display options allow you to:

Confirmation panels

Confirmation panels have a similar appearance to detail views and are used to:

Note:
Some actions have parameters that are required or are optional. For example, the SNAP action on the CICSRGN managed object requires the parameter DUMPCODE. In order to determine if a particular parameter is required or optional, you should check the CICSPlex SM Resource Tables Reference.

The No to all, Yes, and No action buttons are added automatically by the view editor, and you can add a Yes to all button if you wish. You can also include a list of parameters for an action on a confirmation panel.

For example, since shutting down a CICS region may have a significant impact on users of the system, you may decide to have a tabular view from which the user can select a CICS region for shutdown. Also on the tabular view you could have an action button labeled Shutdown that links to a confirmation panel. On the confirmation panel you could list the parameters, such as IMMEDIATE and NORMAL, for the shutdown action.

Confirmation panels that invoke the definitional actions create and update are somewhat different from those associated with other actions. When you use the view editor to design a confirmation panel for the create action, you can also use the same panel for the update action. The action button, which launches the panel, determines which action it is used for. This avoids any potential problems involved in keeping separate but identical create and update screens in step during the design process.

Start of change

Filter confirmation screens

Start of changeA filter confirmation screen allows you to specify filter criteria before the WUI retrieves the data for a view in a similar way to the TSO EUI. When designing views in the view editor you have the option to specify that a filter confirmation screen should be displayed before the data retrieval is executed. There are no filter confirmation screens associated with supplied views. A typical filter confirmation screen is shown in Figure 25.

Figure 25. Filter confirmation screen
The filter confirmation screen displays the message: EYUVC1289W Review the filters and click OK to confirm the action.
End of change

See Creating a filter confirmation screen for guidance on setting up filter confirmation.

End of change

Default views

A default view is a view that is displayed when a view set is opened and no specific view has been named on the link. You can nominate one view within a view set to be the default view.

The default view is normally a tabular view, but can be a detail view, if you wish. When you build a link from menus to view sets, or from one view set to another, you can specify that the default view is displayed. If you do not name an explicit view on the link, because you have chosen to display the default view set, you could change or replace the default view without having to amend all of the links to the view set.

The default view set is used for external requests that specify an object name but do not specify a view set name. The default view set is named on the Web User Interface server initialization operation options parameter, that represents the specified object. See CICS Transaction Server for z/OS® Installation Guide for information about the operation options parameters, and Access to the Web User Interface for information about constructing URLs to access default views and view sets.

Components of a view

You can define some or all of the following components of a view:

Contents of the view
The columns or items of data that are to be displayed in the view.
Title
The title of the view is displayed at the top of the page.
View annotation
You can add text as an annotation to any view. It will appear below the data display. An annotation can be any text and may be in your national language. You could, for instance, provide guidance for the user on what to do next, if the view forms part of a procedure.
Action buttons
You can add as many action buttons as you wish to a view. You select the action you want to perform, and the text that you wish to appear on the button. See Action buttons for more information.
Link to customizable view and menu help
This link, if defined, is located alongside the view title. For more details about the customizable view and menu help, see Customizable view and menu help.
Selection criteria
Selection criteria are the context and scope settings and any filters available to the user. You can define whether the context and scope fields are to be hidden, read-only, or modifiable by the user.

You can also specify any attributes or parameters that will always be available to the user as filters.

Automatic refresh
Users with Javascript-enabled browsers can update views periodically. If automatic refresh is defined as available, an entry field and a check box appear in the Selection criteria and refresh area. The user is then able to turn the automatic refresh facility on or off, and change the refresh interval.
Links
Links connect a field in one view with related information in another view, which may or may not be in the same view set.
Link to a view in the same view set
You can create a link from a specific attribute, such as a transaction name, to a detail view in the same view set. As the views are in the same view set the details displayed will reflect the status of the transaction at the time the original view was created. That is, the data is not refreshed.
Link to a view in another view set
You can create a link to related resources, for example, from a task to a transaction, in another view set. In this case, new data is collected, and filters can be defined on the link. For example, you can set the scope for the target view.
Conditional links
You can specify whether a link is always to be available on a view or, is conditional based on an attribute value at the source of the link. The conditions that the attribute value can be tested against are:
  • If the attribute is valid at this release of CICS, and the attribute value is equal to the specified value.
  • If the attribute is valid at this release of CICS, and the attribute value is not equal to the specified value.
  • If the attribute is valid at this release of CICS.
You can specify only one condition for each link but you can define many links.

For an example of setting up a conditional link, see Using view links and attribute filters.

Menus

A menu is a list of related topics from which the user can select one or more items.

Menus are identified by names of up to 16 alphanumeric characters (but see note below). Menu names must be unique within the server repository, but a menu may have the same name as a view set. It is recommended that you adopt a naming convention for the naming of menus.

Note:
For IBM use, and for use by independent software vendors (ISVs) an underscore (_) is permitted in menu names. View set and menu names beginning with IBM_ are reserved for IBM use.

Components of a menu

You can define the following components for a work frame menu, but some components are not used when the menu is a navigation frame:

Title
The title to be displayed at the top of the menu. This component is not used for a navigation frame menu.
Link to customizable view and menu help
This link, if defined, is located alongside the menu title. For more details about the customizable view and menu help, see Customizable view and menu help. This component is not used for a navigation frame menu.
Context and scope
You can define whether the context and scope fields are to be hidden, read-only, or modifiable by the user. This component is not used for a navigation frame menu.
Menu group titles
You can group the menu choices by providing a group title for each group.
Menu choices
Each menu choice is a link and may be:

In addition to the type and destination of a link, you can define context and scope settings for each menu choice, so that you can build, for example:

You can define other selection criteria for each menu choice, so that you can display, for example:

Menu annotation
You can add general annotations to a menu. The menu annotation, that appears above the menu contents, may be used to provide, for example, instructions on how to use the menu or comments explaining the menu.
Menu choice annotation
You can add annotations to individual menu choices. Menu choice annotation appear below the menu choice and may be used for explaining the menu choice or the effect of selecting it.

Navigation frame

Usually menus are displayed in the work frame, but you can select one menu to be displayed in the navigation frame. This menu is the same for all users so you can group the menu choices to reflect different user roles or tasks. You can group the menu choices by providing a group title for each group. The groups are automatically displayed as expandable and collapsible groups. The menu to be displayed in the navigation frame is named on the DEFAULTNAVIGATE Web User Interface server initialization environment options parameter. For information about the Web User Interface server initialization parameters, see CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Installation Guide.

Presenting data

In many cases, you can control the way that data is presented, changed, and selected on views.

Display-only fields
Data can be presented as a display-only field that cannot be changed.
Entry fields
Entry boxes allow the user to enter an attribute or parameter value.
Selection lists
Selection lists contain all the values available to the user for a given attribute or parameter, on this view. Where the user is asked to enter a value you can create a selection list of appropriate values. Creating selection lists can make a view easier to use and provides an additional level of confirmation of the data by offering a choice of acceptable values to the user.
Graphical presentations
Depending on the type of attribute you can choose to display your data graphically either as warning lights or as bar gauges.
Warning lights
You can use different colored warning lights to indicate the value of the attribute. You can set presentation thresholds (a single value or, for numeric attributes only, a range of values), and have a different color for each one. You can also have a flashing warning light as an extra alert for the user. Optionally, you can also display the value of the attribute next to the warning light.

For example, you could indicate the severity of system availability monitoring events in your CICS regions by using flashing red for Very High Severe (VHS) and High Severe (HS), orange for High Warning (HW) and Low Warning (LW) , and yellow for the lowest levels of severity, Low Severe (LS) and Very Low Severe (VLS). For an example of how to do this, see Using warning lights.

Bar gauges
Only attributes with numeric data types can use bar gauges. A bar gauge is a horizontal bar that represents the value of the attribute. You can also display the numerical value of the attribute, or the size of the bar gauge as a percentage of the full range, or both.

You specify values for the upper and lower limits of the range, which may be either a specified fixed value or the value of the numeric attribute in the same managed object (resource table). For example, you can display the load in a CICS region as a bar gauge, by comparing current task with maximum tasks.

Within the limits, you can specify threshold values and allocate display colors in the same manner as for warning lights.

An attributes data type may be determined by consulting the CICSPlex System Manager Resource Tables Reference.

The resource tables reference data types shown in the following table are considered numeric and are displayed as a decimal value to one or three decimal places, using the decimal separator configured for the server:

Table 10. Numeric data types displayed as decimal values
1-decimal names 3-decimal names Description
AVG AVG3 Average
PCT PCT3 Percentage
RATE RATE3 Consumption rate
SUM SUM3 Sum of values

The following resource tables reference data types are considered numeric and are displayed as a decimal integer value:

BIN
Binary value
CODEBIN
CICS coded binary value
DEC
Decimal value
SCLOCK
CICS CMF clock
Note:
Only SCLOCK attributes with a display format of 'Count' are considered numeric. For example, if a display format of the SCLOCK attribute is not 'Count', the bar gauge presentation type or the warning lights range threshold will not be available.

The following resource tables reference data types are considered numeric and are maintained internally as a packed decimal value:

DEC
Decimal value

Attributes

The attributes available for each managed object are listed in the CICSPlex SM Resource Tables Reference.

Attribute fields
You can use an attribute field to contain the attribute value of an object instance.

When you create a view, you can:

For some types of attribute, there may be different display formats available. For example, for a time field you may be able to choose between:

When you add an attribute to a view, attributes with multiple display formats available appear multiple times in the list of available attributes. You can, therefore, select the attribute and format.

Attribute filters
You use attribute filters to select the records displayed in a view. The filter for an attribute may be either an entry field or a selection list of possible attribute values. You can edit the selection list to suit the circumstances under which the view will be used. These attribute filters will always be available to users of this view.
Note:
Start of change
You cannot specify the EYU_CICSNAME or EYU_CICSREL attributes, or attributes with a maximum length over 256 bytes as attribute filters.
End of change

Parameters

The parameters available for each managed object are listed in the CICSPlex SM Resource Tables Reference.

Action parameter fields
You can include action parameters on a confirmation panel and ask the user to select one before the action is implemented.
Parameter filters
Parameter filters are available only for certain resource types and are listed in the CICSPlex SM Resource Tables Reference as parameters to the CICSPlex SM API GET command. You use parameter filters to select the records that are displayed in a view. You can display the parameter filter as either an entry field, into which the user can type a value, or a selection list, from which the user selects a value. These parameter filters will always be available to users of this view.

Action buttons

Action buttons allow you to operate on resources and are available on tabular views and detail views. All action buttons except the create action button operate on those objects on a view selected by the user. For example, on a CICS region tabular view, selecting one or more CICS regions for shutdown and selecting the Shutdown action button would shut down all of the selected regions. On a detail view, the action affects only the managed object displayed in the view. For example, to allow a user to enable or disable a file resource, you could create a detail view with the file attribute FILESTATUS, and the attribute CVDA values of ENABLED and DISABLED displayed in a selection list. The user could select the value required, and select a SET action button. The action button is labeled Set, by default, but you can customize the label to display any text, possibly in your national language.

The create action is not related to objects selected on a view. When present on a view, the create action is always available, and functions even on views that present no data.

Action buttons can either:

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