Summary of changes

June 2026, changes for V16R1M4

This edition of the document provides updated information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 4. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release:

The View/Compare Load Module (VLM/CLM) functions have been enhanced to improve the accuracy and detail of compilation metadata. The reported CSECT compilation date now includes the time (if available) in hh:mm:ss format. This enhancement provides more precise information for identifying and comparing load modules, particularly in environments where multiple compilations occur on the same date. See Load Module Information panel and Comparing load modules.
Enhanced support for Unicode fields in selection criteria and freeform expressions. You can specify plain text values when using the TFLD function with supported comparison and content-matching operators. An example is added for the SURNAME field demonstrates case-insensitive matching using CU operator. See TFLD and Entering criteria as a freeform expression for more details.
A new topic Managing record selection criteria in File Manager, has been added. The topic describes how to save and retrieve record selection criteria during template editing by using the RA, SR, and GR commands on the Field Selection/Edit panel. It introduces reference groups for storing criteria and enables reuse of saved selection conditions across sessions.

February 2026, changes for V16R1M3

This edition of the document provides information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 3. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release.

Updated multiple User Guide sections to document the enforced behavior when ISPF packed format is restricted.
Enhanced panels and informational messages to clearly notify users when ISPF packed data is disabled and explain xFile Manager resulting behavior. see Editor Options panel.
Added new system messages FMNBB674 - FMNBB678 to explicitly indicate when packed format usage, related commands, or options are unavailable or overridden. See File Manager messages.
File Manager now supports creating VSAM Database data sets and alternate indexes with up to five key names. These are the only File Manager functions that currently support VSAM Database. See VSAM Define panel and AIX Entry Detail panel.
Support for the PASSWORD=REMEMBER option has been removed. Use PASSWORD=PASSTICKET for FM/CICS logon handling. See topic Starting FM/CICS.

October 2025, changes for V16R1M2

This edition of the document provides information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 2. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release.

You can now specify a list of members in the DD statement in the JCL as an alternative to specifying them in a $$FILEM control statement for a number of File Manager functions. For more information about the format used to specify members, and the functions that support this method, see JCL syntax for File Manager batch jobs.
Added a new Processing option to generate the FMNMLST DD containing the selected members to be processed. See Advanced Member Selection panel and Advanced Member Selection panel.
Support for regular expressions and picture strings:
- Regular expressions are now supported in all view and edit sessions when specifying a search string for FIND, CHANGE, and EXCLUDE primary commands. For more information on specifying regular expression strings, see:
  - FIND/FX primary command, CHANGE/CX primary command, EXCLUDE/XX primary command, FCH (Find/Change)
  - Rules for processing regular expressions with multiple commands
- Picture strings are supported for the search and replace values for functions that perform change processing, and search values for functions that perform contains processing.
  Regular expressions are now supported for search values of functions that perform change and contains processing. For more details see Using picture strings and regular expressions with external REXX functions.
File Manager has been enhanced to support a user exit when running the FMNSRCHK edit or view function key. See F4 edit macro exit for complete details.
The FNot and CNot behavior in a View or Edit session is changed to match field or record areas that do not contain any occurrence of the search string. See FIND/FX primary command and CHANGE/CX primary command.

June 2025, changes for V16R1M1

This edition of the document provides information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 1. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release.

A new option, F5 Clear, has been added to the Enhanced Search Command panel to clear all fields on the panel. See Enhanced Search command panel for an example.
You can now select to use an auxiliary data set when viewing a large non-VSAM data set that does not fit into memory. See the new edit option in Editor Options panel.
A new option, "MLIST" has been added to both the List and Search Options panel and the Report View Options panel. Select this option to produce an ISPF member list for up to 16 data set names referenced in the current view or edit session. See Using F4 from the command line and Using F4 for enhanced search report filtering commands for more information.

December 2024, changes for V16R1M0 (refresh)

This edition of the document provides information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 0. It is a refresh of Version 16.1.0 and contains the following changes:

A new processing option, "Start", has been added to the menu panels for the enhanced search report. Select this processing option to start applicable options in another ISPF session. See Using F4 from any edit or view session when positioned on a string or word and Using F4 for enhanced search report filtering commands for more information about the options that support the "Start" option.
FM/Db2 GEN line command support for Db2 V13 FL505.

October 2024, changes for V16R1M0 First Edition

This edition of the document provides information applicable to File Manager Version 16 Release 1 Modification Level 0. Here are the major changes to this document from the previous release.

Auto detect for compiler languages now supports Assembler and is more efficient. See "Auto detect" in Selecting your compiler language.
New keywords for the File Manager DEFV function to produce VSAM define statements for Data, Index, and Catalog names in addition to supporting alternate Index, Path, and GDG data sets. See DEFV (Define VSAM Statements) for the syntax and details.