CICS Reviewer Part 4

What is the difference between getting the system time with EIBTIME and ASKTIME command?
The ASKTIME command is used to request the current date and time. Whereas, the EIBTIME field have the value at the task initiation time.

What does it mean when EIBCALEN is equal to zeros?
When the length of the communication area (EIBCALEN) is equal to zeros, it means that no data was passed to the application.

How can the fact that EIBCALEN is equal to zeros be of use to an application programmer?
When working in psuedo-conversational mode, EIBCALEN can be checked if it is equal to zero to determine first time usage of the program.

When you do the START command what will be the value of EIBCALEN?
Zero

What is the meaning and use of the EIBAID field?
EIBAID is a key field in the execute interface block; it indcates which attention key the user pressed to initiate the task.

When you compile a CICS program, the pre-compiler puts an extra chunk of code. Where does it get included and that is it called?
DFHEIBLK, DFHCOMMAREA

Name some important fields in the EIB block?
EIBRESP, EIBCALEN, EIBRRCDE, EIBTASK, EIBDATE, EIBTIME, EIBRCODE

Which is the EIB field that gives the date when a task was started?
EIBDATE

The EIB field which gives the last CICS command executed?
EIBRCODE

What is the default commarea size?
65K

How do you handle error in CICS programs?
Check EIBRESP after the call or use the HANDLE condition.


What does the following transactions do?
CEDF: CICS-supplied Execution Diagnostic Facility transaction. It provides interactive program execution and debugging functions of a CICS programs.
CEMT: CICS-supplied Extended Master Terminal transaction. It displays or manipulates CICS control environment interactively.
CEBR: CICS-supplied Temporary Storage Browse transaction. It displays the content of Temporary Storage Queue (TSQ).
CECI: CICS-supplied Command Interpreter transaction. It verifies the syntax of a CICS command and executes the command.

Name and explain some common CICS abend codes?
AEI_ - indicates an execute interface program problem - the abending program encountered an exceptional condition.
APCT - the program could not be found or disabled.
ASRA - CICS interrupt code, the equivalent of SOC7 or SOC4 MVS abend code. It indicates a program check, identified by a one-byte code in the Program Status Word in the dump.
AKCP - the task was cancelled; it was suspended for a period longer than transaction's defined deadlock timeout period.
AKCT - the task was cancelled because it was waiting too long for terminal input.
AICA -  Runaway task.