Variables GETMSG sets for the entire message

GETMSG sets specific variables that relate to the entire message that it retrieves. GETMSG sets these variables, regardless of how many lines of text the retrieved message contains.

The names of the variables that GETMSG sets correspond to the field names in the message data block (MDB) in MVS/ESA System Product. The variable names consist of the msgstem you specified on the call to GETMSG followed by the name of the field in the MDB. That is, TSO/E uses the name of the field in the MDB as the suffix for the variable name and concatenates the MDB field name to the msgstem. For example, one field in the MDB is MDBLEN, which is the length of the MDB. If you specify msgstem as "CONSMSG." (with a period), REXX returns the length of the MDB in the variable:

CONSMSG.MDBLEN

If you specify msgstem as "CMSG" (without a period), the variable name would be CMSGMDBLEN.

Table 1 describes the variables GETMSG sets for a message that it retrieves. For any variable that needs a minimum MVS™ release to have a proper value returned, this minimum prerequisite release is listed in the second column.

For detailed information about the MDB and each field in the MDB, see the MVS System Messages, Vol 3 in the z/OS MVS Data Areas in the z/OS® Internet Library: http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zos/bkserv/.

Table 1. Variables GETMSG sets for an entire message
Variable suffix name	Prerequisite release	Description
MDBLEN		Length of the MDB, in decimal.
MDBTYPE		MDB type, in decimal.
MDBMID		Four character MDB identifier, which is ‘MDB ’.
MDBVER		Version of the MDB; 4-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBGLEN		General object length of the MDB, in decimal.
MDBGTYPE		General object type of the MDB, in decimal.
MDBGMID		Four byte message identifier, in hexadecimal.
MDBGSYID		One byte system ID, in hexadecimal. The value is the same as the first byte of the MDBGMID variable (message identifier).
MDBGSEQ		Three byte sequence number, in hexadecimal. The value is the same as the last three bytes of the MDBGMID variable (message identifier).
MDBGTIMH		Time stamp in the format: `hh.mm.ss` where hh is hours, mm is minutes, and ss is seconds.
MDBGTIMT		Time stamp in the format: `.th` where th is tenths of seconds, .36, for example.
MDBGDSTP		Date stamp in the format yyyyddd, where yyyy is the year and ddd is the number of days, including the current day, so far in the year.
MDBGDOM		General DOM indicator. Contains the value YES or NO that indicates whether messages that match the message ID are to be deleted.
MDBGALRM		YES or NO to indicate whether the processor alarm is sounded.
MDBGHOLD		Hold indicator: YES or NO to indicate whether the message should be held until DOMed or deleted by other external means.
MDBGFCON		Foreground control presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGFCOL		Foreground color presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGFHIL		Foreground highlighting presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGFINT		Foreground intensity presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGBCON		Background control presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGBCOL		Background color presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGBHIL		Background highlighting presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGBINT		Background intensity presentation attribute, in decimal.
MDBGOSNM		Eight character originating system name.
MDBGJBNM		Eight character job name.
MDBCLEN		Control object length of the MDB, in decimal.
MDBCTYPE		Control object type of the MDB, in decimal.
MDBCPROD		Sixteen character originating system identifier.
MDBCVER		MVS CP object version level; 4-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBCPNAM		Four character control program name.
MDBCFMID		Eight character FMID of the originating system.
MDBCERC		Routing codes; 16-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBCDESC		Descriptor codes; 2-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBDESCA		YES or NO to indicate whether the message pertains to a system failure.
MDBDESCB		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires an immediate action.
MDBDESCC		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires an eventual action.
MDBDESCD		YES or NO to indicate whether the message pertains to system status.
MDBDESCE		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is an immediate command response.
MDBDESCF		YES or NO to indicate whether the message pertains to job status.
MDBDESCG		YES or NO to indicate whether or not the message was issued by an application program or application processor.
MDBDESCH		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is directed to an out-of-line area.
MDBDESCI		YES or NO to indicate whether the message pertains to an operator request.
MDBDESCJ		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is a track command response.
MDBDESCK		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires a critical eventual action.
MDBDESCL		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is an important informational message.
MDBDESCM	4.3.0	YES or NO to indicate: previously automated.
MDBCMLVL		Message level; 2-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBMLR		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is a WTOR.
MDBMLIA		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires an immediate action.
MDBMLCE		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires a critical eventual action.
MDBMLE		YES or NO to indicate whether the message requires an eventual action.
MDBMLI		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is an informational message.
MDBMLBC		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is a broadcast message.
MDBCSUPP	5.1.0	YES or NO to indicate whether the message is suppressed.
MDBCMCSC		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is a command response.
MDBCAUTH		YES or NO to indicate whether the message was issued by an authorized program.
MDBCRETN		YES or NO to indicate whether the message is retained by AMRF.
MDBCSPVD	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: WQE backlog message.
MDBCASID		ASID of the issuer; 2-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBCTCB		TCB of the job step; 4-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBCTOKN		Token that the issuer of the message used, in decimal.
MDBCSYID		System ID, in decimal.
MDBDMSGI		YES or NO to indicate whether operator messages with the specific message ID (as specified by the MDBGMID variable) should be deleted.
MDBDSYSI		YES or NO to indicate whether operator messages with the specific system ID (as specified by the MDBGSYID variable) should be deleted.
MDBDASID		YES or NO to indicate whether operator messages with the specific ASID (as specified by the MDBCASID variable) should be deleted.
MDBDJTCB		YES or NO to indicate whether operator messages with the specific job step TCB (as specified by the MDBCTCB variable) should be deleted.
MDBDTOKN		YES or NO to indicate whether operator messages with the specific token (as specified by the MDBCTOKN variable) should be deleted.
MDBCAUT	4.3.0	YES or NO to indicate: QUEUE by using automation.
MDBCHC	5.1.0	YES or NO to indicate: QUEUE via hardcopy.
MDBCOCMD	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: Echo operator command.
MDBCICMD	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: Echo internal command.
MDBCWTL	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: result of WTL macro.
MDBCOJID		Eight character originating job ID.
MDBCKEY		Eight character retrieval key.
MDBCAUTO		Eight character automation token.
MDBCCART		Eight character command and response token (CART).
MDBCCNID		Console ID; 4-byte hexadecimal value.
MDBMSGTA		YES or NO to indicate whether the message was issued because job names were being monitored.
MDBMSGTB		YES or NO to indicate whether the message was issued because status was being monitored.
MDBMSGTC		YES or NO to indicate whether monitor is active.
MDBMSGTD		YES or NO to indicate whether the QID field exists in the WPL (AOS/1).
MDBMSGTF		YES or NO to indicate whether the message was issued because sessions were being monitored.
MDBCRPYL		Length of the reply ID, in decimal. The reply ID is returned in the variable MDBCRPYI, which is described below.
MDBCRPYI		EBCDIC representation of the reply ID.
MDBCTOFF		The offset in the message text field to the beginning of the message, in decimal.
MDBCRPYB		Reply ID, in decimal.
MDBCAREA		One character area ID.
MDBCLCNT		Number of lines of message text in the message, in decimal.
MDBCOJBN		Eight character originating job name.
MDBCSPLX	5.1.0	8-character SYSPLEX name.
MDBCRCMT	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate whether the message text was changed.
MDBCRCRC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate whether routing code(s) were changed.
MDBCRCDC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate whether descriptor code(s) were changed.
MDBCRQPC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: queued to a particular active console.
MDBCRQRC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: queued by routing codes only.
MDBCRPML	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate whether minor lines were processed.
MDBCRDTM	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate whether the message was deleted.
MDBCROMS	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: MPF suppression was overridden.
MDBCRFHC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: hardcopy forced.
MDBCRNHC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: no hardcopy was forced.
MDBCRHCO	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: only hardcopy forced.
MDBCRBCA	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: broadcast message to active consoles.
MDBCRBCN	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: did not broadcast message to active consoles.
MDBCRNRT	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: AMRF is not to retain this message.
MDBCRRET	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: AMRF is to retain this message.
MDBCRCKY	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: changed the retrieval key.
MDBCRCFC	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: changed the 4-byte console ID.
MDBCRCMF	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: changed the message type flags.
MDBCRANO	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: automation was not required.
MDBCRAYS	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: automation was required and/or automation token updated.
MDBCQHCO	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: message issued as hardcopy only.
MDBCSNSV	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: not serviced by any WTO user exit routine.
MDBCSEER	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: A WTO user exit abended while processing this message.
MDBCSNSI	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: not serviced due to an incompatible request.
MDBCSAUT	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: automation specified.
MDBCSSSI	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: suppressed by a subsystem.
MDBCSWTO	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: suppressed by a WTO user exit routine.
MDBCSMPF	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: suppressed by MPF.
MDBCCNNM	5.2.0	8-character console name.
MDBMCSB	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: MCSFLAG=REG0 was specified.
MDBMCSI	5.2.0	YES or NO to indicate: MCSFLAG=NOTIME was specified.