Re: how to get GRPPTF's from 1 iSeries to another iSeries?

I think the concern is genuine especially given the advancements in PTFs over the last few years particularly the TR group ptfs. Often with these groups one or a very small group of ptfs (e.g. MF99006) are applied on the first pass and these are the only ones that are marked to apply. After a preliminary IPL the remaining PTFs are flagged and then applied in a second IPL that happens automatically. It would take effort and understanding of the process to cause this second IPL to be part of a controlled process thus giving the visibility requested.

-DrFranken

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 8, 2013, at 12:38 AM, CRPence <CRPbottle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 07 Oct 2013 17:13, Roberto José Etcheverry Romero wrote:
Yes, but that implies that I've already loaded the PTFs and they are
ready to be applied. Kinda late if one of them breaks something to
learn about.
I was thinking that maybe there was some way to get a query of
something along those lines to compare against the cumulative and
groups' manifest (which doesn't prune the superseded but it helps).
All in all I want to avoid a 10AM call after installing the latest
cumulative just because the client didn't test all the services that
the system has...
Besides, it's been said a lot "Read the cover letters before
applying"...

I do not understand the concerns, first because a loaded PTF can be
removed instead of applied, second because a loaded but not-yet applied
PTF allows one to read the cover letter "before applying", and third
because a loaded PTF is not an applied PTF [except IIRC a special and
rare class of "special handling PTFs listed in PTF groups", but only for
INSPTF, not LODPTF] for which only the *apply* of the PTF has the
capability to /break/ anything plus any superseded PTFs that were
permanently applied per *APYPERM for the Superseded PTFs (SPRPTF)
parameter were already temporarily applied so any difficulties should
have been identified and handled.

Nonetheless, alternatively, the LODPTF allows for the Copy PTF cover
letter (COVER) parameter to specify *ONLY such that the "cover letter is
copied into a physical file but PTF is not loaded" from the specified
device\media. Thus any PTF that has the status showing that the cover
letter is present [available IIRC, from DSPPTF], for which the PTF is
not [loaded nor] applied, but the PTF may be superseded, would be a PTF
that is going to be installed from that media. The Path identifier
(PATHID) parameter can specify the option *SELECT [if used
interactively], in conjunction with the /product/ and /release/ if desired.
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/cl/lodptf.htm

As well, for all PTFs that are not already tracked to the system, the
Copy Program Temporary Fix to Save File (QPZCPYSV) API could be used to
copy all PTFs into *SERVICE and their cover letters in QAPZCOVER, "that
do not have a status of superseded, temporarily applied, or permanently
applied on your system." These I know are available via the Display PTF
(DSPPTF) [which has an OUTFILE capability to ease automation]:
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/apis/qpzcpysv.htm
_i Copy Program Temporary Fix to Save File (QPZCPYSV) API i_
"...
The Copy Program Temporary Fix to Save File (QPZCPYSV) API allows you to
copy all program temporary fixes (PTFs) for the selected product from
the media and store them in *SERVICE. The PTFs can then be displayed,
loaded, or copied using the PTF commands. PTF group information can also
be copied in addition to the PTFs.

A save file is created in library QGPL for each PTF that is copied. You
can use the Retrieve Program Temporary Fix Information (QPZRTVFX) API to
obtain the name of the save file.

If the PTF already exists in *SERVICE, the PTF is not copied.

Cover letters are copied to file QAPZCOVER in library QGPL.
..."

Regards, Chuck

On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 9:04 PM, CRPence wrote:

On 07 Oct 2013 14:52, Roberto José Etcheverry Romero wrote:
On the same page. Is there any way to compare installed PTFs vs
content of image catalog, and from there check WHICH PTFs are
gonna be applied? <<SNIP>>

FWiW: After loading the PTFs (LODPTF), all PTFs that were loaded
but are not yet applied, is the list that "are gonna be applied"
if\when APYPTF requests that _apply_ action.

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