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COBOL error messages are not documented

Troubleshooting


Problem

You receive COBOL error messages that start with IGY. However, you are unable to find a manual where the messages are documented.

Cause

As documented in About this information of the Enterprise COBOL for z/OS documentation under Messages and Codes:
This information is developed progressively to provide reference information. However, it will not include all the individual COBOL messages and their explanations. For most messages, there is no further detail other than what you see in the actual messages. This is because the messages are considered to be self-explanatory when used together with the Enterprise COBOL Language Reference.

Resolving The Problem

The Messages and codes topic was added to the Enterprise COBOL for z/OS documentation in 2017. However, not all messages are included in the topic because many are still considered to be self explanatory.

The messages that are included in the documentation have also been added to the IBM Doc Buddy mobile app. Note that you will not have to download the latest app version to receive message updates.

You can get a list of all COBOL messages as documented in topic Generating a list of compiler messages in the Enterprise COBOL for z/OS Programming Guide:

  • You can generate a complete listing of compiler diagnostic messages with their message numbers, severities, and text by compiling a program that has program-name ERRMSG.

    You can code just the PROGRAM-ID paragraph, as shown below, and omit the rest of the program.

    Identification Division.
    Program-ID. ErrMsg.
The above is true with all releases of COBOL. The compile listing includes an explanation of the format of the messages generated during compilation and the severity levels of the messages. It also includes a list of the actual messages, but no further explanation of the messages.
For COBOL documentation, you can send feedback directly to [email protected] as documented in topic How to send your comments. You are encouraged to do this if you do NOT think a message is self explanatory and you would like to request that IBM include the message in the Messages and codes topic in the documentation with an explanation, system action, and user response. 

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Product Synonym

CICS/TS CICS TS CICS Transaction Server

Document Information

Modified date:
06 April 2020

UID

swg21156178