Messages

z/OS® issues messages from z/OS elements, features, program products, and application programs running on the system. The system issues messages in different ways and to different locations:

• Automated messaging services automatically react to certain messages.
• Most messages are issued through WTO and WTOR macros to one of these locations:
  • Console
  • Hard-copy log
  • Job log
  • SYSOUT data set

  Routing codes determine where the messages are displayed or printed. The routing codes for messages issued by the operating system are included with each message.

• Unless specified otherwise, messages, in general, go to the system log (SYSLOG).
• Dump messages are issued through the dumping services routines and are found in:
  • SVC dumps, stand-alone dumps, or SYSMDUMP ABEND dumps formatted by the interactive problem control system (IPCS)
  • Trace data sets formatted by the interactive problem control system (IPCS)
  • ABEND dumps or SNAP dumps produced by the dumping services

  In dump or trace data sets formatted by IPCS, the messages are shown on a terminal or in a printed dump.

• Some messages are issued through DFSMS/MVS access methods directly to one of these locations:
  • Output data set
  • Display terminal

For z/OS V1R13 and earlier releases, find a message quickly using a web search engine or LookAt: www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/zos/bkserv/lookat/.