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If you let it, TIM can periodically check the Toolmaker Software Distribution Server for updates and install them.

You can configure whether this shall happen automatically or with some amount of human intervention.

How do I work with TIM?

You assign orders to TIM. The most popular orders are

• INSTALL_PRODUCT - Installs either a product completely new or a major of an already installed product
• INSTALL_PTF - Installs a PTF for an already installed product
• REMOVE_ORDER - Deletes all "transport"-libraries that were needed for the installation of a product or a PTF

You start by going to TIM's main menu:

GO TIMENG

The main menu lets you execute all tasks with and for TIM. (On a German system you would GO TIM).

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The most important options here are:

1. Display status -  find out, what's going on

2. Create TIM order - start a task for TIM

26. Start TIM SBS - run the tasks created in subsystem TMSTIM

Also, when asked for your system's information for the creation of a license file you will use

6. Display system values + products - this gives you a nice summary of all important system values, etc.

INSTALL_PRODUCT - A new product or a major version

The version numbers of Toolmaker products generally follow this naming: version.release.ptf.

For example: 5.50.12 means version 5, release 50, PTF-level 12

A change in the version- or release number is considered a major update. So, when you go from 5.50.12 to 5.51 you will need an INSTALL_PRODUCT.

Of course, when the product is not yet installed on your IBM i, you need an INSTALL_PRODUCT, too.

Use option 2 (or F11 from the TIM Status Screen) and select INSTALL_PRODUCT to start the installation of a new product or a major update:

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TIM will download the most current info files and let you select one:

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Now, TIM downloads some documentation that might be handy.

Finally you are asked when to install the software:

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When you select option 3=Immediately, nothing will happen, because you haven't started the subsystem yet (Option 26 from TIM's main menu).

When you select option 1 or 2 and start the subsystem, TIM will download the files that it needs for the installation immediately but wait with the actual installation until the time that you give.

Now, take a look at option 1 of TIM's main menu:

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You will find your order in status "NEW" but in the lower section the three "Current Work" lines are yet empty.

Also, TIM informs you in the upper part that "The sub system TMSTIM is not started".