Job control language is a scripting language used on IBM mainframes for batch processing. It uses cataloged procedures, printer output commands, and IBM utilities for maintenance and management. It also offers device independence for jobs and backups.
Job control language is a batch processing language for use on IBM mainframes, but it is also used as a generic term for programs written to perform job control functions. As a mainframe language, it is what is known as a scripting language, where scripts are written and saved for performing different functions and used as needed. Each procedure is written as one step, and each step calls a program to perform that step. As the mainframe is used by dozens of users, comments for running or billing are outlined, utilities for printing or document merging are instructed, and finally, there is a job definition in its Together. The final set of instructions requires assigning a priority in a queue for mainframe usage.
The job control language makes use of so-called cataloged procedures, which are a set of instructions cataloged in a library of procedures and called through the use of an EXEC command. If you need additional declarations, you can modify these cataloged procedures. It is possible to change the values of operands on an existing set of procedures, and it is also possible to alter procedure parameters using override statements or modifications made and inserted in the correct order of execution.
There are separate saved instructions for issuing printer output commands. For regularly archived reports, the parameters of these reports can be named, saved and then recalled in a print run whenever another report of the same type is needed. These printer output commands must also tell the printer what type of paper should be used to print by identifying it with a code in the SYSOUT command to the mainframe printers. All the printing instructions normally found by pressing a button on a microcomputer printer must be specified for the print outputs, such as full or half duplex printing, gray bar overlay or no overlay, date and time stamping or not, and the inclusion of any images or logos.
The job control language also uses utilities for IBM mainframes. These utilities are used as needed for batch processing. There are three main sets of IBM utilities: (1) system utilities, (2) access service methods, and (3) dataset utilities. System utilities are used for maintenance and management of all catalogs; access service methods process the instruction set of the virtual memory access method, and dataset utilities are responsible for creating, printing, copying, moving, and deleting datasets. These utilities are provided with the Job Control Language operating system.
The job control language operating system has offered significant device independence for decades. Allowing a device used for a job to be called using a generic name has fostered this independence; however, using the model number, you can specify a particular dot-matrix or inkjet printer. The same is true when doing backups, when generic use of UNIT=TAPE or UNIT=DISK would backup to the appropriate media.
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