IBM Support

CICS BMS map numeric only field is accepting alpha characters

Troubleshooting


Problem

You are using CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) and trying to change a numeric attribute on a Basic Mapping Support (BMS) map. You want the attribute to allow only numbers in the field. This used to work, but it is now allowing the entry of any character. You are using IBM Personal Communications for Windows but have not been able to find where to set numeric lock.

Cause

The problem is with your terminal emulation software. In this case, Personal Communications has the '3270 Numeric Lock' option set to 'NO'. CICS BMS does nothing to enforce the numeric lock attribute, it only passes it in the datastream to the hardware if the field in the map has been defined with the NUM attribute: 'NUM'. This ensures that the data entry keyboard is set to numeric shift for this field unless the operator presses the alpha shift key, and prevents entry of nonnumeric data if the Keyboard Numeric Lock feature is installed.

This is documented in the description of "Numeric-only" in the section entitled 3270 field attributes of the CICS TS 4.2 information center:
Numeric-only
The effect of this designation depends on the keyboard type of the terminal. On a data entry keyboard, a numeric shift occurs, so that the operator can key numbers without shifting. On keyboards equipped with the “numeric lock” special feature, the keyboard locks if the operator uses any key except one of the digits 0 through 9, a period (decimal point), a dash (minus sign) or the DUP key. This prevents the operator from keying alphabetic data into the field, although the receiving program must still inspect the entry to ensure that it is a number of the form it expects. Without the numeric lock feature, numeric-only allows any data into the field.

Resolving The Problem

Follow these steps to find the 3270 numeric lock feature in Personal Communications and set it to Yes to allow only numeric data to be entered into the field:

  1. Click Edit

  2. Choose Preferences > Appearance > Display Setup

  3. From the Display Setup panel, scroll down in the Category section and click Viewing

  4. Under Settings, you will see 3270 Numeric Lock with radio buttons for Yes and No. Select Yes if you want 3270 numeric lock

  5. Click OK

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Product Synonym

CICS/TS CICS TS CICS Transaction Server IBM Personal Communications PCOMM

Document Information

Modified date:
15 June 2018

UID

swg21383384