Investigating issue with TSO operation under TCAM, showcased by failure of RPF to display menus

 RUNNING DUAL TSO ENVIRONMENT, TCAM AND VTAM

While I am testing the BSC link to my 3174, I must use TCAM to support the TSO sessions. With SDLC connections, only VTAM is needed and that is how my MVS turnkey system was configured. To be sure that still have the ability to use TSO while fumbling with TCAM, I have both available.

If I issue a S NET command on the operator console, it brings up VTAM and that starts TSO. On the other hand, if I issue a S TP command, it starts my procedure to bring up TCAM. There are a set of local 3270 terminals assigned to VTAM and another set assigned to TCAM, in addition to the remote 3174 that will be handled by TCAM. I can have both running simultaneously, useful to do comparison commands.

FAILURES EXPERIENCED WITH TSO/TCAM LOCALLY (BUT WORKS FOR TSO/VTAM)

The differences I see when running TSO under TCAM versus the VTAM version:

1. No splash screen for logon
2. TSO does not know how to clear the screen before Logon request message
3. Running commands like Operator and RPF don't produce initial output
4. These commands above are operating, as they respond to input
5. RPF in particular does not produce splash screen nor initial menu

I found that if I blindly typed an input of 0 after starting RPF, which with the initial menu would select the session defaults option, I do see the menu for that choice displayed. However, the screen was not cleared before this leaving residue from prior contents anywhere that wasn't written by this menu.

I could pick a few of the choices within that session defaults menu and have them work properly. Choices 0 and 2 did display the expected output although once again without clearing the screen beforehand. Choice 1 did nothing. 

FIRST THOUGHTS

Whatever is wrong, it isn't very major since much behaves properly. TSO operation depends upon a ballet of procedure library entries, parameter library entries and CLIST entries to execute in order to set up the session properly. 

Whatever is malfunctioning seems to be more basic than just RPF, even though that program shows the most problems. The lack of screen clearing at logon indicates an issue at a fundamental level. 

I don't have access to all the proper manuals at the MVS 3.8J level and therefore I am interpolating from material of earlier (MVT 21.8) and later (zOS) which has its challenges and dangers. Still, I do have a working VTAM TSO environment to make comparisons with. 

It is time to collect as much data as I can about what is occurring both for basic login and for RPF execution, starting with MVS logs and moving on to various diagnostic methods I can establish. Hopefully the clues will build until I have a clear culprit, after which I can take corrective action.