ACR's libraries: TSO.LOADLIB versus LOADLIB versus LOADLIB.OBJ versus LOADE

Depending on your ACR version, ACR will contain a combination of the libraries below:

1. TSO.LOADLIB - ACR version 4.3 or older
2. LOADLIB - All ACR versions
3. LOADLIB.OBJ - ACR version 9.2
4. LOADE - ACR version 4.6 and newer

The LOADLIB contains a large majority of ACR's modules. This is the main library that is used throughout all JCL that uses any ACR function. The TSO.LOADLIB, LOADLIB.OBJ and LOADE libraries contain extra modules for certain use cases. The comparisons below review the differences between each library.

TSO.LOADLIB versus LOADLIB

In ACR version 4.3 and older, modules were split between the TSO.LOADLIB and LOADLIB libraries based on their respective functions. The TSO.LOADLIB was used for online (MVS panels) related modules, while the LOADLIB was used for the remaining ACR modules.

Starting in ACR version 4.4, the TSO.LOADLIB and LOADLIB were merged. 

LOADLIB.OBJ versus LOADLIB

A new feature in v9.2 introduces the ability to trigger ACR's Program Interface feature from a Java program. The LOADLIB.OBJ library contains the necessary module for this feature to function. This module is compiled differently than the standard ACR modules within the LOADLIB, which is why it's stored in a separate library. 

LOADE versus LOADLIB

Starting in ACR 4.6, ACR/Summary can retrieve history items from Assure. As part of this feature, a LOADE library was added for modules specific to this feature. These modules are compiled differently than the standard ACR modules within the LOADLIB, so they are kept separate within the LOADE library. The LOADE library is only required in your JCL when ACR is used to pull history items from Assure.

Note that this LOADE is referring specifically for ACR's native LOADE. Visibility API also has a LOADE library, which works similarly - it contains extra modules to allow ACR to connect to Insight.