The definition signature for resource definitions

The definition signature captures details about when, how, and by whom each resource is defined or changed in the CSD file or in the CICSPlex® SM EYUDREP data repository. The definition signature is updated each time a change is made to the resource. You can use these details to detect resource modifications for auditing or for fixing problems.

The definition signature is displayed in the CICS Explorer® views, on CEDA and CEMT panels, CICSPlex SM BAS views, EXEC CICS INQUIRE commands, and in DFHCSDUP reports. These are the definition signature fields:

DEFINESOURCE
The source of the resource definition. The DEFINESOURCE value depends on the CHANGEAGENT.
For details, see Summary of the resource signature field values.
DEFINETIME
The time when the resource definition was created using the DEFINE, USERDEFINE, COPY, MOVE, or RENAME commands. When you alter an existing resource using the ALTER command, the value specified by DEFINETIME does not change. On CEDA panels, the date is displayed in the format that you specified in the DATFORM system initialization parameter.
CHANGEAGENT
How the resource was defined or last modified, by using one of these methods:
Autoinstall
Autoinstall
Csdapi
CEDA, the programmable interface to DFHEDAP, or EXEC CICS CSD command
Csdbatch
DFHCSDUP
Drepapi
CICSPlex SM BAS API command
Dynamic
The resource was generated by:
  • A PIPELINE scan (URIMAP or WEBSERVICE).
  • CICS web template management, using DFHWBTL or DFHWBBMS (DOCTEMPLATE).
  • The installation of a DB2ENTRY resource definition with transaction ID specified (DB2TRAN).
  • The installation of an ATOMSERVICE resource definition with XSDBIND specified (XMLTRANSFORM).
  • The installation of an MQCONN resource definition with INITQNAME specified (MQINI).
System
CICS or CICSPlex SM system
Table
Table definition
CHANGEAGREL
The level of the CICS system used for the definition of, or last modification to, the resource definition.
CHANGETIME
The time when the resource definition was last modified. When the resource is first defined, the CHANGETIME value is identical to the DEFINETIME value. On CEDA panels, the date is displayed in the format that you specified in the DATFORM system initialization parameter.
CHANGEUSRID
The ID of the user who defined or last modified the resource definition.

To display the definition signature for an individual resource, or a group of resources, in the CEDA DISPLAY and EXPAND GROUP panels, press PF2. To return to the previous CEDA command panel, press PF2 again.

To display a summary of the definition signatures for all the specified resources, add the SIGSUMM parameter to the DFHCSDUP LIST command. The definition signature fields are displayed with the resource attributes when you use the OBJECTS option on the command. The DFHCSDUP EXTRACT command also extracts the definition signature fields from the CSD file.

Resources defined in CICS releases before CICS TS 4.1 do not have information displayed for the definition signature until they are modified in this CICS release or later. When the resource is modified, the DEFINETIME field remains blank.