| KICKS |
A transaction processing system for CMS & TSO |
"Tur(n)key MVS" was originated by Volker Bandke in 2002. It is a ready to use OS/VS2 MVS 3.8j system built specifically to run under the Hercules System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture Emulator. Originally distributed on a CD, it included a number of MVS source and cbt volumes still replicated (at least by reference) in more recent distributions. As a KICKS platform it is somewhat lacking: no IND$FILE or XMIT370 to ease loading new programs; no GCC, no user proclibs, no userid.clist in TSO logon procedure, and most importantly it is missing the TSO/VTAM improvements that in later distributions allow KICKS to detect alternate screen dimensions. Some components of the CD (especially the source and cbt volumes) are available at http://tk3.limewebs.com/_TK3herc_links.html
The immediate challenge to installing KICKS on this system is lack of XMIT370. Since KICKS is no longer distributed on Hercules '.HET' tape images the only options are (a) install KICKS on a more modern system, then make your own '.HET' tape image and use that to install; or (b) install XMIT370. An '.HET' tape image for XMIT370 is at http://cbttape.org/~jmorrison/mvs38j/xv0005-beta02.het
GCCMVS is available on sourceforge as an XMIT file, so you could easily install it to use (in addition to COBOL) to make KICKS apps.
KICKS will greatly benefit from some of Greg Price's vtam mods (already present on most of the more 'modern' Tur(n)key distributions). You can find them at http://www.prycroft6.com.au/vs2mods/index.html. I especially recommend ZP60008 and ZP60009.
Of course user proclibs, user clists, and other major enhancements in later distributions can also be added, but at some point you might ask yourself why you are reinventing the wheel. when you could just download and install one of the newer releases and save yourself a great deal of effort...
The "MVS380" distribution (and the TK3UPD) are descendents of the "Tur(n)key MVS" originated by Volker Bandke in 2002. These distributions reflect 10 years of additional customization and selective additions, some of which (IND$FILE, XMIT370, user proclibs, user clist librarys, and improved TSO/VTAM functionality) are very useful for a KICKS platform. MVS380 also included GCCMVS at a very current level. It is available at http://tk3.limewebs.com/_TK3herc_links.html
I developed and maintain KICKS for TSO on MVS380.
The difference between the TK3UPD and the MVS380 distributions is primarily that TK3UPD does not come with GCCMVS installed, nor with the (limited) 31 bit support necessary to compile gigantic GCC programs, such as the compiler itself. Note that KICKS programs are not sufficiently gigantic to require 31 bit support.
Either works well with KICKS, but of course if you want to use GCC programs in KICKS it is easier to use MVS380 where GCCMVS is already installed.
The "TK4-" distribution is a another descendent of the "Tur(n)key MVS" originated by Volker Bandke in 2002. A few more years of refinement beyond TK3UPD, it also has hercules in the same zip file so it really is a "plug and play" install. This is the recommended distribution for a KICKS Tur(n)key install, and as a TSO build platform for the KICKS source code. It is available at http://wotho.ethz.ch/tk4-/
The major difference between TK4- and preceding distributions is the inclusion of a security system, RAKF. Since KICKS is in truth just another TSO application this is, as in Z/OS, only significant in terms of the security system defining what you think you want your TSO users to be able to do. If you don't like what it's doing, that's a RAKF issue, not a KICKS issue.
TK4- is the "supported" build environment for using the KICKS source code. Even if you do not intend to install or use the source you may want to review the "Installing & Using KICKS source code" section since you may find some of the build system changes useful in your own TK4- configuration.
IBM has a distribution called the ADCD, or Application Developers Controlled Distribution. However, as used in KICKS documentation the reference "ADCD" does not refer to the IBM ADCD distribution specifically, but rather to systems that "look like" it In such systems (which include other IBM starter distributions and some new or small customer production systems) the initial programs, procs, and clists are named as originally delivered and probably not greatly modified and users are not particularly restricted from accessing them. By comparison, a more mature or larger production system probably has many of these initial programs, procs and clists isolated (for maintenance purposes) and restricted from normal user access, instead having normal users access copies of them (perhaps strongly modified) from site specific libraries.
Instructions refer to the "ADCD" distribution in this generic sense because in at least some cases the instructions can be applied exactly as given, but more generally because when the instruction can't be applied exactly it should at least be apparent how it should be modified based on what would be done on an "ADCD" system.
Z/OS distributions and licenses, including the actual ADCD, are only available directly from IBM. Contact your IBM representative for more information.
KICKS can be installed and run in Z/OS without issue.
GCCMVS is not usually installed on Z/OS, but it is available on sourceforge as an XMIT file, so you could easily install it to use (in addition to COBOL) to make KICKS apps. KICKS does not presently support development using IBM C.
The 2011 distribution of the VM/370 "sixpack" is available at http://vm370.31bits.net/vm370sixpack-1_2.zip.
Because the original VM/370 did not include it, before KICKS can be installed on the 2011 VM/370 "sixpack" distribution some kind of 3270 full screen support must be installed. There are several available. The first was GCIC, but it is an assembler oriented system not suitable for KICKS. The next was mecaff, which provides full screen support via an external java process. KICKS works great with mecaff. Finally there is now an enhancement to VM/370 that provides native x'58' full screen 3270 support (with a few limitations). KICKS also works fine with this x'58' modification.
Since modern versions of mecaff support the x'58' modification as well has it's original external java process, KICKS by default requires this modern mecaff be installed regardless of whether you intend to use the mecaff java process or native x'58'. A modern version of mecaff can be downloaded from the files area of the yahoo VM/370 group. Be sure you install the 'static linked' version of the mecaff tools. This is necessary because KICKS uses the DOS/VSAM components of VM/370, whose use will cause the 'dynamically linked' versions of the mecaff tools to abend (and require you to re-IPL CMS all the time, very irritating...
A CMS port of GCCMVS is preinstalled on the 2011 VM/370 sixpack, but it's a fairly old version of GCCMVS and not suitable for use with KICKS. You should obtain or build a more current version. I make GCCCMS VMARC (compiler and library) available in the files area of the yahoo kicksfortso forum, but you really should build your own from file on the source forge repository.
I developed and maintain KICKS for CMS on the VM/370 sixpack.
A normal install of KICKS on CMS would put the non-VSAM files on the user's A disk, and the vsam files on some unspecified mini disk as recorded in the FCT. For an install on VM/370 sixpack system I suggest a few minor changes, really only amounting to additional specificity to simplify installation.
The CMSUSER account on the VM/370 6-pack has empty 192, 193, 194, and 195 mini-disks. You should modify CMSUSER's PROFILE EXEC to release/detach the 194 mini-disk, and to access the 195 mini-disk as 'K'.
All KICKS permanent non-VSAM files should be installed onto the 195 mini-disk that will be accessed as 'K'.
The 194 mini-disk should be DOS formatted. A VSAM master catalog and VSAM space will be allocated on it, and the KICKS sample VSAM files will be defined and loaded into that VSAM space. The 194 mini-disk will otherwise remain unlinked so that not just CMSUSER, but any KICKS user can access the VSAM files. KICKS or associated programs, run by any user, will access this 194 mini-disk as 'O'.
The values in the FCT's that ship with KICKS are pre configured as needed for vsam on the VM/370 194 disk as above.
The "nicof-0.6.0-playground" distribution of VM/370 is the latest of the VM/370 sixpack distributions. This is the recommended distribution for a KICKS VM/370 install, and as a CMS build platform for the KICKS source code. You can get it from the files area of the yahoo VM/370 group https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Hercules-VM370/info.
Mecaff is preinstalled on the "nicof-0.6.0-playground", but see the above remarks for older VM/370 distributions regarding GCCMVS and suggested install changes.
The "nicof-0.6.0-playground" distribution of VM/370 is the "supported" build environment for using the KICKS source code. Even if you do not intend to install or use the source you may want to review the "Installing & Using KICKS source code" section since you may find some of the build system changes useful in your own "nicof-0.6.0-playground" configuration.
IBM has a distribution called the ADCD, or Application Developers Controlled Distribution. However, as used in KICKS documentation the reference "ADCD" does not refer to the IBM ADCD distribution specifically, but rather to systems that "look like" it In such systems (which include other IBM starter distributions and some new or small customer production systems) the initial programs and execs are named as originally delivered and probably not greatly modified and users are not particularly restricted from accessing them. By comparison, a more mature or larger production system probably has many of these initial programs and execs isolated (for maintenance purposes) and restricted from normal user access, instead having normal users access copies of them (perhaps strongly modified) from site specific minidisks.
Instructions refer to the "ADCD" distribution in this generic sense because in at least some cases the instructions can be applied exactly as given, but more generally because when the instruction can't be applied exactly it should at least be apparent how it should be modified based on what would be done on an "ADCD" system.
Z/VM distributions and licenses, including the actual ADCD, are only available directly from IBM. Contact your IBM representative for more information.
KICKS can be installed on Z/VM systems, but will be of limited utility if VSAM is not available. VSAM support was most commonly available by the addition of IBM's "VSE/VSAM" product (probably 5686-081), discontinued several years ago. VSAM support may still be available if a customer also licenses Z/VSE to run under Z/VM, but there isn't much information available as to how those VSE VSAM components could be made available in CMS.
Assuming VSAM is available, KICKS can be installed and run in Z/VM without issue.
GCCMVS is not installed on most Z/VM systems so you should obtain or build a copy. I make GCCCMS VMARC (compiler and library) available in the files area of the yahoo kicksfortso forum, but you really should build your own from file on the source forge repository. KICKS does not presently support development using IBM C.