Using VB to start a mainframe job

[JimM]

Here's an interesting challenge for anyone who would like to try. I'm using VB to start a production mainframe job. It works great with one minor annoying problem.

First I use WinInit to verify the mainframe Logon Id and password. Then I accept variable data to pass to the mainframe and FTP a text data file to the mainframe. That works well. Then I use the following files that I send to my C:\Temp directory to start the mainframe job as follows.

File crdjcl.txt - this is a .txt file that looks like a mainframe job card and execute and gets sent to our mainframe scheduling system. When it receives this file it puts the m/f job in the que to start.

File crdlogon.txt

My m/f Logon Id on this line
quote site file=jes
put c:\temp\crdjcl.txt

File crdtomf.bat - this is a bat file to execute the above file.

I then use Shell in the VB program to execute the crdtomf.bat file as follows.

RetVal = Shell("c:\temp\crdtomf.bat, vbNormalFocus)

Everything works fine except I get a mainframe window requiring that I enter my password again. I've tried everything I can think of including adding my password after the logon id in the crdlogon.txt file as follows.

LogonIdassword

I've also put the password on the 2nd line which also does not work.

Nothing seems to work. This is not a crisis since the job runs ok but I would like to eliminate the cumbersome 2nd password check.

Does anyone know a better way to do this. It seems like there must be a way to send a command directly to the internal reader using FTP. Perhaps there is a way to send a site command first so that the put gets directed to the internal reader instead of just to a m/f file.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Jim

[DSJ]

What kind of mainframe you talking about?

[JimM]

It's an IBM 390 Mainframe

[DSJ]

Not familiar with 390's, but used to do some VB stuff with AS/400's. ClientAccess was what we used to connect to the 400, you could do about anything you wanted. Is there a ClientAccess or equivelent for 390's?

[JimM]

I'm having difficulty sending a reply. This is the 3rd time I have tried. The first 2 were not posted. If you get the others that why.

Anyway I'm not familiar with Client Access but I'll check it out.

Thanks, Jim