Identifying an ISMF error message

To determine whether ISMF or ISPF issued the error message, press the HELP key or enter the HELP command. The system displays a long message related to the original short error message. Figure 1 is an example of an end-user ISMF panel with the long error message:

COMPRESS terminated with a return code of 12

ISPF long messages have the same format.

Figure 1. ISMF—End User Long Error Message

                                  VOLUME LIST                   COMPRESS FAILED
 COMMAND ===> COMPRESS                                         SCROLL ===> HALF
 COMPRESS terminated with a return code of 12
 ENTER LINE OPERATORS BELOW:                              Data Columns 3-8 of 39

     LINE       VOLUME  FREE     %     ALLOC    FRAG   LARGEST  FREE
     OPERATOR   SERIAL  SPACE    FREE  SPACE    INDEX  EXTENT   EXTENTS
    ---(1)----  -(2)--  --(3)--  (4)-  --(5)--  -(6)-  --(7)--  --(8)--
    ?COMPRESS   SCR001  1342355    72   523197    122   793299       25
                SCR002  1113616    60   751936     25  1067335       15
                SCR003  2835621    99    39669      1  2830511        4
                SCR004  2859732    99    15558      1  2856345        3
                SYS300   353342    19  1512210    270   164468      109
                SYS301   363133    19  1502419    113   311792       79
                SYS302   396767    21  1468785    224   165312       72
                SYS303   345098    18  1520454    234   254689      264
                SYS304   398781    21  1466771    135   333762      159
                SYS305   402200    22  1463352     98   354982       81
                SYS306   571072    31  1294480     65   513361       49
                SYS307   385102    21  1480450    104   321114       56
                SYS308   385805    21  1479747    237   156927       83
                SYS309   367068    20  1498484     88   326173       60

USE HELP COMMAND FOR HELP; USE END COMMAND TO EXIT.

Press the HELP key again to see the help panel for the short and long messages. The help panel further explains the problem. Figure 2 is an example of an ISMF message help panel.

Figure 2. ISMF—Message HELP Panel

 HELP-----------------------------ISMF MESSAGE------------------------------HELP
 COMMAND ===>

    MESSAGE NUMBER:  DGTUS009

    SHORT MESSAGE:   COMPRESS FAILED

    LONG MESSAGE:
  COMPRESS terminated with a return code of 12

    EXPLANATION:
       The messages above were issued by ISMF. The command or line
       operator was not successful.

    SUGGESTED ACTION:
       The above messages should indicate the return code issued for the
       line operator of command. For additional information refer to
       documentation appropriate to specific command. If you need further
       assistance contact your system programmer or your IBM customer
       representative for assistance.


   Use ENTER to continue with ISMF HELP, Use END to return to ISMF.

ISMF message identifiers begin with the prefix DGT. ISPF message identifiers begin with ISP or ISR. On the help panel, the message identifier is in the MESSAGE NUMBER field, located at the upper left.

If ISMF issued the message, follow the procedure in Messages issued by ISMF to build the message type-of-failure keyword.
If ISPF issued the message, read the help panel to determine whether there is something you can do to resolve the problem.
If the help panel does not indicate how to correct the error, see z/OS V2R2 ISPF Messages and Codes.