Question & Answer
Question
Is there is a utility that comes with CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) that would enable you to open and close CICS files from a z/OS (also known as MVS) batch job?
Answer
If using CICS TS V5.1 or V4.2, consider using the CICS TS Feature Pack for Modern batch which will enable you to run new Java™ batch applications in a CICS JVM server. It provides the infrastructure to enable IBM WebSphere Application Server V8.5 or above to schedule CICS applications. This feature pack reduces the need to take critical CICS applications offline in order to process bulk updates in batch efficiently. It helps to ease the pressure on many enterprises' batch window and improves the availability of your online CICS systems. If using CICS TS V4.1, SupportPac CN11 provides the infrastructure to enable IBM WebSphere Extended Deployment (XD) Compute Grid to schedule and manage Java job steps in CICS.
If you need to open and close your CICS files from an z/OS batch job, you can use the CICSPlex SM application programming interface (API). The CICS TS V5.1 information center lists "z/OS batch" under The CICSPlex SM application programming interface > Supported environments and languages.
You can also use the CICS External Interface as documented in the CICS TS V4.2 information center under EXCI concepts:
The external CICS® interface makes CICS applications more easily accessible from non-CICS environments.
Programs running in MVS™ can issue an EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM command to call a CICS application programs running in a CICS region. Alternatively, the MVS programs can use the CALL interface when it is more appropriate to do so.
The provision of this programming interface means that, for example, MVS programs can:
- Update resources with integrity while CICS is accessing them.
- Take CICS resources offline, and back online, at the start and end of an MVS job. For example, you can:
- Open and close CICS files.
- Enable and disable transactions in CICS...
The section entitled Using EXCI sample application programs documents the sample applications. You will need to compile the samples you want to use. You will also need to update and compile the External CICS interface options table, DFHXCOPT.
Following is example JCL for running a sample program:
//****************************************************************
//*
//* JOB TO RUN THE SAMPLE EXCI
//*
//****************************************************************
//EXCI10 EXEC PGM=DFH0CXCC,PARM=(CICSRGN,CICSUSER)
//STEPLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=YOUR.SAMPLES.LOADLIB
// DD DISP=SHR,DSN=YOUR.CICS670.SDFHEXCI
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSMDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD DUMMY
/*
//
You should replace the following in the JCL before using it:
- DFH0CXCC is the program that you want to run.
- CICSRGN is your CICS region name.
- CICSUSER is your CICS default userid. You can enter CEMT I SYSTEM to display your regions Dfltuser.
- YOUR.SAMPLES.LOADLIB is the library you compiled your programs into. In this example it would be the library containing the load module for DFH0CXCC.
- YOUR.CICS670.SDFHEXCIis the library supplied by CICS TS.
Related Information
Product Synonym
CICS/TS CICS TS CICS Transaction Server
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Document Information
Modified date:
15 June 2018
UID
swg21158499