Processing messages during a console session

You can use the TSO/E CONSPROF command to control the processing of messages during a console session. Like the CONSOLE command, you must have CONSOLE command authority to use the CONSPROF command.

Usually, you issue the CONSPROF command to tailor a console profile before activating a console session. However, you can also use CONSPROF during a console session to change the profile settings.

There are two types of messages that are routed to the user's console:

Solicited messages, which are messages that are responses to MVS™ system and subsystem commands that were issued during the console session.
Unsolicited messages, which are any messages that are not direct responses to MVS system or subsystem commands. For example, an unsolicited message can be a message that another user sends you or a broadcast message.

You can use the CONSPROF command with the SOLDISPLAY and UNSOLDISPLAY keywords to specify whether solicited messages and unsolicited messages should be displayed at the terminal or saved for later retrieval. See z/OS TSO/E System Programming Command Reference for more information about the CONSPROF command.

If messages are not displayed at the terminal during a console session, you can use the TSO/E external function GETMSG to retrieve messages. Using GETMSG, you can retrieve either solicited or unsolicited messages.

The TSO/E external function SYSVAR has the SOLDISP and UNSDISP arguments that relate to the SOLDISPLAY and UNSOLDISPLAY keywords on the CONSPROF command. You can use these SYSVAR arguments to determine whether solicited and unsolicited messages are being displayed. For more information, see SYSVAR.

If messages are not displayed at the terminal, the system stores the messages in message tables. The system stores solicited messages in the solicited message table and unsolicited messages in the unsolicited message table. You can use the SOLNUM and UNSNUM arguments of the TSO/E external function SYSVAR (see sysvarr.htm#sysvarr__tsosvar) to determine the current size of the message tables. You can also use the CONSPROF command to change the current size of each table. The size you specify cannot exceed the maximum size set by your installation in SYS1.PARMLIB (member IKJTSOxx). If you do not specify the table size, TSO/E uses the default that your installation defines in SYS1.PARMLIB (member IKJTSOxx).

If you write execs that retrieve messages using GETMSG rather than displaying the messages at the terminal, note the following.

If a message table exceeds 100% capacity, any new messages are not routed to the user's console until you resolve the message capacity situation.
TSO/E provides two exits for the CONSOLE command that your installation can use to handle the capacities of the message tables. An exit is invoked when a message table reaches 80% capacity. Another exit is invoked when a table reaches 100% capacity. If your installation provides CONSOLE exits, an exit may be invoked during processing of the exec if the message tables reach 80% or 100% capacity. Exit processing depends on the exits that your installation provides. z/OS TSO/E Customization describes the exits for the CONSOLE command and how to set up the sizes for the message tables.

If you retrieve messages using the GETMSG function and then want to display the message to the user, you can use the SYSVAR external function to obtain information related to displaying the message. The MFTIME, MFOSNM, MFJOB, and MFSNMJBX arguments of the SYSVAR function indicate whether the user requested that certain types of information should be displayed with the message, such as the time stamp or the originating job name. For more information about the arguments, see SYSVAR. To obtain information, such as the time stamp or originating job name, you can use the additional MDB variables that the GETMSG function sets. For more information, see Additional variables that GETMSG sets.