Retrieving console information (CONVCON and CnzConv macros)

Programs that either process commands or issue messages might need information about MCS, SMCS or extended MCS consoles. CONVCON and CnzConv obtain information about these consoles.

IBM® recommends using the CnzConv macro to retrieve console information. The CONVCON service will no longer be enhanced. Future enhancement will be provided only on the CnzConv service.

You can use both the CnzConv and CONVCON macros to do the following tasks:

Obtain the console name associated with an input console ID.
Obtain the console ID associated with an input console name.
Obtain the status of a console (active or inactive) of an input console ID or name.
Obtain the system name on which the queried console is active.

In addition to these tasks, you can use the CnzConv macro to obtain the following information, with an input console ID or name:

The console type (MCS, SMCS, EMCS, Subsystem, or Special).
The console subtype (Internal, Instream, or Unknown. Applies to a console type of special only).
The logical unit of an SMCS console.
The owner name of a subsystem console.
The ASID of a Subsystem console.

You must set up a parameter list before invoking the macros. Depending upon the information you want, you must initialize certain fields in the parameter list, and the macros return information in other fields of the parameter list. For more information on the CONVCON parameter list, which is mapped by IEZVG200, see z/OS MVS Data Areas in the z/OS Internet library.

The following topics describe possible uses for the CnzConv and CONVCON macroS, and tell you how to fill in the parameter list for each use. The parameter list values for both macros are discussed in z/OS MVS Programming: Assembler Services Reference ABE-HSP.