SPOOL FILES Each spool file in the system has a number of attributes that are
assigned to it, either explicitly by default, at the tiae that it is
created. These attributes and their values are as follows: Each of these consist of alphaaeric fields of up
to eight characters. The CHINGE or CLOSE command can change these
fields. This is a system-assigned number between 1 and 9,900. It is
automatically assigned when the file is closed, and is unique to that
spooled file. To identify a given file, it is necessary to specify the
userid of the file's owner, the device type, and the spoolid nuaber. In most instances, the userid defaults to the ID of the user issuing the
given command. Since the ID nu.ber, rather than the filenaae and
filetype, is used as an identifier, duplicate user-assigned names do not
present an identification problem. Q§!! ID: This is the ID of the file's creator, if the file
has been internally transferred froa the originator's virtual printer or
punch to a new owner's virtual card reader. !yaber of This is the number requested for an output spool file;
it This is a nuaber between 1 and 99. Unless specified by the user or operator, it defaults to 1. Time: This is the date and tiae that the file was created. Users create-most files from virtual spool devices and the date and tiae
indicate when the originator of the file closed the device. !yaber Q! This is a six-digit number indicating the number of
logical record (printer or card iaages) in the file and is an indication
of the size of the file. OUTPUT CLASSES In addition to the attributes described above, a file queued for output
on a real unit record device always has an output class associated with
it. A single alphameric character (A through Z, 0 through 9, and the
special character *) controls what real device the file is to be printed
or punched on, and the relative priority and sequence of output on the
device. Although each file is assigned a single class, you can
designate each real spooling output device to handle froa one to four
classes. The device processes only files that have a class code that
corresponds to one of its own, and processes these files in the order
you specify. For example, if you assign a printer the classes I, D. and
2, it always processes any printer file with class I before it searches
the printer output queue for a file with class t, and all class D files
are printed before any file with class 2. You can assign a class of *
to a real output unit record device to allow that device to process any class spool file. Section 5. Operator Spooling Functions 213

The output class for a file is assigned at the time of the file's
creation and is the class that is associated with the virtual device
that created it. When a user logs on to the syste., the class
associated with the device is the one defined in his user directory
entry for that device; however, he may alter this class at any time with
the SPOOL co •• and. After files are closed and are awaiting output,
their class can be altered with the CHARGE com.and either by the file's
owner or by the spooling operator. The spooling operator can alter the standard assign.ents of output classes of a real output device with the START co •• and.
Output priorities can also be rearranged by altering the hold status
of a file. The system operator can hold or release the files of
specific users, all files of a given type, or all files in the system. Through judicious coabination of the class and hold functions, the
operator can exercise flexible control of the spooling functions. Be
can use the class function to direct output to specific printers containing special toras or special print train arrangements, and to
force a specific priority sche.e. The hold function can ensure the
i •• ediate processing of high priority output files, while allowing high
volu.e or low priority jobs to be deferred for output until periods of
lov system usage. SPOOLIBG COBBINDS The co •• ands shown in Figure 13 control VB/370 sFooling operations. User Classification Com.and General User Spooling Operator BACKSPAC X CHINGB X X CLOSE X DRAIR X FLUSH X FRBB X HOLD X LOADBUF X ORDBR X X PURGB X X REPEAT v A SPACE X SPOOL X START X TAG X TRANSFER X X Figure CP Spooling Commands This list represents all the CP com.ands that pertain to spooling
operations. Users having privilege classes D (the spooling operator) G (the general user) can issue these co •• ands. Users with only the
G privilege class cannot invoke class D commands.
214 VB/370 Operator's Guide