ISPF Editor: Insert Line Command

The Insert Line Command

While modern editors are designed for free-form editing, the ISPF editor encourages us to step back and be more intentional. Put another way, while you can smash the return key in rage in VSCode, it’s not as easy (see What about the enter key) in the ISPF editor. One way it encourages intentional programming through the use of single and double letter commands. One such single letter command is the Insert Line Command. This command lets you insert one or more blank lines. By typing I in the prefix area, you can precisely place one, or more, blank lines, ensuring deliberate control over your edits. As with all line commands, it can be anywhere in the prefix-area, as long as you have enough room.

How to Insert a Single Line

Let’s say that your code is missing a line. In the REXX code below, we want to insert a line after line 3, which will display a greeting with the persons name.

Example:

000100 /* REXX */                                                              
000200 SAY "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"                                                
000300 PULL NAME               

Here’s how to insert a single line in the ISPF editor:

1. Place your cursor in the prefix area where you want to insert a line (e.g., 000003).
2. Type I and press Enter.

000100 /* REXX */                                                              
000200 SAY "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"                                                
I00300 PULL NAME               

You’ll notice the new line shows six apostrophes ('''''') in the line-number area. Once you type your line and press Enter, the line numbers update automatically.

000100 /* REXX */
000200 SAY "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"
000300 PULL NAME
000400 SAY "HELLO," NAME ", NICE TO MEET YOU!"

How to Insert Multiple Lines

Now, let’s add documentation to that REXX code—because all developers document their code… right?… right?! Suppose you want to insert four lines after line 000100 for a comment block explaining the program’s purpose. The process is similar to inserting a single line, but you can specify the number of lines you want to insert.

Here’s how to insert a single line in the ISPF editor:

1. Place your cursor in the prefix area where you want to insert a line (e.g., 000003).
2. Type I4, and press Enter.

000100 /* REXX */
000110 /**********************************************************************/
000120 /*  DEVELOPER: STEPHEN JOHNSTON                                       */
000130 /*  THIS PROGRAM ASKS FOR YOUR NAME AND GREETS YOU.                   */
000140 /**********************************************************************/
000200 SAY "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"
000300 PULL NAME
000400 SAY "HELLO," NAME ", NICE TO MEET YOU!"

What about the Enter Key

Tried smashing Enter in ISPF like you’re raging in VSCode? Yeah, it’s not that simple. Depending on your edit profile, Enter might toss in a new line if you’re in a freeform or custom setup, but most of the time, it just submits commands or sits there, doing zilch. That’s why the I command is your pal: it always adds lines exactly where you want. No enter-tantrums needed.

Summary

In this #kilobit, you learned how to insert one or more lines in the ISPF editor using the I command. Like most things in ISPF, it might make you go “bwahhhhhh,” like Hank Hill, at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that ISPF Edit’s design encourages intentional programming, and often makes you faster.

Until next time, may the code be with you.