Return Codes from Terminating Dialogs

The return code from ISPSTART for a successful dialog completion is either 0 or a value returned by the executing dialog in the system variable ZISPFRC. ZISPFRC is a shared-pool input variable of length 8. The dialog can set ZISPFRC to any value in the range of 0 to 16777215, except the values reserved for ISPF use (900 through 999, and 9000 through 9100). This value must be left-justified and padded with blanks.

At termination, ISPF copies the value from ZISPFRC and passes it to the invoking application (or Terminal Monitor Program) in register 15. If the value in ZISPFRC is not within the valid range or is otherwise not valid, such as a value that is not numeric, ISPF issues an appropriate line message and passes a return code of 908. If the dialog has not set ZISPFRC to a value, ISPF returns a value of 0.

Note:

CLIST procedures that invoke ISPSTART can check the CLIST variable LASTCC for the ISPF return code. In REXX, check the variable rc after an ISPF function.
Even though ISPF restricts the return code value to the range 0 to 16777215, other products or subsystems, such as JES when processing JCL condition codes, can be more restrictive on return code values. See documentation for the affected product for more information.
ZISPFRC should not be confused with the normal dialog return code set by the function; it has no effect on ISPF log/list termination processing.

ZISPFRC is intended to be used by applications that invoke a dialog dedicated to a single task or function. However, it is valid to set ZISPFRC from a selection panel invoked by the ISPSTART command.

ISPF checks for the existence of ZISPFRC only at ISPF termination. If ZISPFRC is set by any dialog other than the one invoked by the ISPSTART command, ISPF ignores the value.