The specific routing exit is used to modify the contents of the routing data area. It is used much the same as the general routing exit. NPF invokes it after it builds the routing data area, but unlike the general routing exit, the user can specify a specific exit for each routing. Like the general routing exit, the specific routing exit can use information provided by the capture points in an installation-specific context and produce more accurate routings. For example, examination of the JES or VTAM® specific data might produce a more accurate routing than is contained in the routing file or produced by the general routing exit.

The specific routing exit is invoked after the routing data area (RDA) has been built. Because the routing data area can be built by either the general routing exit or by data from the routing and options files, the specific routing exit can be used with either method. Its purpose is to further modify the routing data area.

See Network Print Facility's Routing Data Area (RDA) for the structure of the routing data area. When specifying routing data format, be careful to leave the specific routing exit field (RTDAEXIT field in the RDA, the SREXIT parameter in the ROUTING function of the EZAPPFL macro, and the ROUTING EXIT field, as illustrated in Figure 2) blank if you are not using a specific routing exit. The required fields are the same as in the general routing exit. The run-time environment is the same as the general routing exit.