How to use space without deleting text when editing a dataset

Question

I am editing datasets on a mainframe via x3270. However I cannot figure out how to move text forward, I simply just want to be able to move text forward when pressing space without deleting any characters. How?

Answer 1

I read elsewhere that there is a setting in x3270 to let x3270 treat trailing blanks as nulls, thus enabling the insertion of characters even when ISPF editor is set to nulls off. Look at x3270 menu "Options -> Toggle -> Blank Fill". See here x3270 blank fill

If this setting is not enabled, then x3270 is behaving as expected with respect to trailing spaces and insert mode: You can't shift trainling blanks. You need to set nulls on in ISPF editor command line. See NULLS ISPF editor command. Note that this setting is per ISPF editor profile. ISPF editor keeps one profile per RECFM and low level qualifier.

Answer 2

If the line you are trying to shift has trailing spaces then I would expect you to be able to insert spaces with no issues. If for some reason you have hex data such as X'0A' in your data then this could prevent you being able to insert. For instance

/* data */     hi     
65488A8456044448844444
1C041310C1A00008900000

In the above you could not insert anywhere prior to the X'0A'. However you could insert in front of 'hi'. Check the hex values on the line where you are trying to insert characters.