PM65659: EXCI EXEC CICS LINK RAISES INAPPROPRIATE ERROR, WHICH PREVENTS PROPER PROCESSING OF SET FILE() CLO IN BATCH PROGRAM

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• You have a user batch program which uses the EXCI interface link
  to online program DFHEMTP which closes user files.  After
  migration to CICS TS 4.2, you notice that the command:
      SET FILE(FILEA) CLO
  completes with a return code of zero, but the file does not
  close.
  
  You also note that processing is successful, and the file closes
  appropriately when DATALENGTH is removed from the LINK command,
  or if you issue "SET FILE(FILEA) CLO DIS".
  The EXCI EXEC CICS LINK command is raising an error in DFHEMT21.
  PK79800, which is included with CICS TS 4.2, changed the
  behavior of SET commands with even minor errors.  Since the code
  detects an error - even though it does so inappropriately, the
  application has stopped working.
  
  KIXREVRHC
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All CICS users                               *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: When issuing CEMT SET FILE CLO DIS by   *
  *                      EXCI EXEC CICS LINK to DFHEMTP with     *
  *                      DATALENGTH specfied, the FILE is not    *
  *                      closed and disabled as expected.        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  An EXCI application is used to drive DFHEMTP to issue CEMT SET
  FILE CLOSED DISABLED. EXCI EXEC CICS LINK specifies the
  DATALENGTH parameter, with a value less than that of LENGTH,
  so unused COMMAREA storage is cleared to binary zeros.
  After the request comes into CICS, DFHEMTD interprets the X'00'
  as an invalid keyword. No errors are permitted in SET commands,
  so the command is not executed. The file is not closed or
  disabled. The EXCI call into CICS completes, and the EXCI
  application receives return code zero.
  Linking to DFHEMTP in this way has been deprecated since CICS
  TS 3.1, and is not recommended. The proper solution is for EXCI
  to drive a user application program that issue the EXEC CICS
  SET FILE CLOSED DISABLED.
  Similar problems exist when linking to DFHEMTA.
  

Problem conclusion

• DFHEMT01 has been changed to remove the code that checks the
  errors of invalid keywords in SET command when programable
  interface is used, and to let CICS continue to execute the CEMT
  command.
  

Temporary fix

• FIX AVAILABLE BY PTF ONLY
  

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

  UK79664

Modules/Macros

•    DFHEMT01
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  CICS TS Z/OS V4

• Fixed component ID

  5655S9700

Applicable component levels

• R700 PSY UK79664

     UP12/06/21 P F206

Fix is available

• Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.