DataMigrator/Reporting Server > Using the Adapter for CICS Transactions > Managing CICS Transaction Metadata

Managing CICS Transaction Metadata

Topics:

When the server invokes a transaction or procedure, it needs to know how to build the request, what parameters to pass, and how to format an answer set from the response. For each transaction the server will execute, you must create a synonym that describes the layout of the request/response area.

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Reference:

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Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each transaction or procedure that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying transaction or procedure from client applications. They also provide support for extended metadata features of the server, such as virtual fields and additional security mechanisms.

Using synonyms allows the input parameters and the response layout to be moved while allowing client applications to continue functioning without modification. For example, moving a transaction or procedure from a test region to production. The result of creating a synonym is a Master File and an Access File, which represent the server metadata.

Procedure: How to Create a Synonym

To create a synonym, you must have previously configured the adapter. You can create a synonym from the Web Console or the Data Management Console.

  1. From the Web Console sidebar, click Applications or Connect to Data.

    The Applications page opens.

  2. If you started from the Applications page, right-click an application folder, point to New, and click Synonym on the context menu.

    The Connect to Data page opens.

  3. On the Configured list, click the down arrow next to a connection for the configured adapter, or right-click a connection.

    Depending on the type of adapter you chose, one of the following options appears on the context menu.

    • Show DBMS objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Create metadata objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Show files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
    • Show local files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
  4. Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the synonym creation parameters reference.
  5. After entering the parameter values, click Create Synonym.

    The Status pane indicates that the synonym was created successfully.

The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory.

Note: When creating a synonym, if you choose the Validate check box, the server adjusts special characters and checks for reserved words. For more information, see Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words.

Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for CICS Transactions on Windows and UNIX

The following list describes the parameters for which you will need to supply values, and related tasks you will need to complete in order to create a synonym for the adapter. These options may appear on multiple panes. To advance from pane to pane, click the buttons provided, ending with the Create Synonym button, which generates the synonym based on your entries.

Collection of COBOL definitions

Select Collection of COBOL definitions and type the location of a collection of Cobol Copybooks. If you select this option you can choose all COBOL definitions in the collection (%) or filter by name and extension.

File name/File extension

If you wish to limit retrieval, you can enter a file name and/or file extension:

  • In the File name box, enter a full name or a partial name with a wildcard symbol %. A full name returns just that entry. A name with a wildcard symbol may return many entries.
  • In the File extension box, enter an extension with or without the wildcard symbol %.
Synonym name

Type the name of the synonym in the Synonym name box.

Program name

Type the name of the CICS Transactions program or APPC transaction in the Program name box.

COMMAREA

Enter a COMMAREA value: type CALC in the input box to indicate maximal segment size or enter a value that represents the physical length of the data. The default value is 32500.

Validate

Select the Validate check box if you wish to convert all special characters to underscores and perform a name check to prevent the use of reserved names. (This is accomplished by adding numbers to the names.) This parameter ensures that names adhere to specifications. See Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words for more information.

When the Validate option is unchecked, only the following characters are converted to underscores: '-'; ' '; ' \'; '/'; ','; '$'. No checking is performed for names.

Make unique

Select the Make unique check box if you wish to set the scope for field and group names to the entire synonym. This ensures that no duplicate names are used, even in different segments of the synonym. When this option is unchecked, the scope is the segment.

Customize

Optionally, select Customize COBOL FD conversion options to customize how the COBOL FD is translated. If you do not select the check box, default translation settings are applied.

For more information, see Customization Options for COBOL File Descriptions.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms check box.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.

Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Select tables for synonyms

The Cobol Copybook(s) appear on the screen. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.

Note: There can be no more than one set of input/output Copybooks per synonym.

Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for CICS Transactions on z/OS

The following list describes the parameters for which you will need to supply values, and related tasks you will need to complete in order to create a synonym for the adapter. These options may appear on multiple panes. To advance from pane to pane, click the buttons provided, ending with the Create Synonym button, which generates the synonym based on your entries.

File System Selection

Choose one of the following options from the drop-down list:

  • Fully qualified PDS name to indicate a partitioned data set on MVS.

    In the input boxes provided, type a PDS name preceded by // and a Member name containing the location of the COBOL FD source. If you wish, you can filter the member name using a wildcard character (%).

    or

  • Absolute HFS directory pathname to indicate a hierarchical file structure on USS.

    In the input boxes provided, type a Directory name to specify the HFS location that contains the COBOL FD and a File name and File extension. If you wish, you can filter the file and extension using a wildcard character (%).

Target Program type

Choose an option from the drop-down list:

  • Dynamic Program Link
  • TP Gateway (for migration)
  • Stored Procedure Gateway (for migration)

Note: The last two options support older style program types (TPG/SPG/ASS) for which migration may be necessary. For details about migration, see the ServerRelease Notes.

COBOL FD available for the answer set

Check this box if you want to use COBOL file descriptions for your Master Files.

Synonym name

Type the name of the synonym in the Synonym name box.

Program name

Type the name of the CICS Transactions program or APPC transaction in the Program name box.

COMMAREA

Enter a COMMAREA value: type CALC in the input box to indicate maximal segment size or enter a value that represents the physical length of the data. The default value is 32500.

Validate

Select the Validate check box if you wish to convert all special characters to underscores and perform a name check to prevent the use of reserved names. (This is accomplished by adding numbers to the names.) This parameter ensures that names adhere to specifications. See Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words for more information.

When the Validate option is unchecked, only the following characters are converted to underscores: '-'; ' '; ' \'; '/'; ','; '$'. No checking is performed for names.

Make unique

Select the Make unique check box if you wish to set the scope for field and group names to the entire synonym. This ensures that no duplicate names are used, even in different segments of the synonym. When this option is unchecked, the scope is the segment.

Customize

Optionally, select Customize COBOL FD conversion options to customize how the COBOL FD is translated. If you do not select the check box, default translation settings are applied.

For more information, see Customization Options for COBOL File Descriptions.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms check box.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.

Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Input Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about input parameters.

There can be no more than one set of input COBOL Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.

Output Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about output parameters.

There can be no more than one set of output Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.

Reference: Managing Synonyms

Once you have created a synonym, you can right-click the synonym name in the Adapter navigation pane of either the Web Console or the Data Management Console to access the available options.

For a list of options, see Synonym Management Options.

Reference: Master File Guidelines

Master Files contain definitions for input and output parameters used in the transaction. These parameters are described as separate segments.

  • A dummy segment must be defined if input parameters are not used.
  • Output parameters (if they exist) are defined in a descendant segment/segments.
  • Fields from output segments that contain repeating values can be redefined as an Occurs segment. A value for the keyword POSITION defines the redefined field name.
  • A multi-segment definition with the RECTYPE field is used when a transaction may return different answer sets.

Example: Cobol Copybook for the ETPBRW8 Master File 

02  FILEREC.
  03  STAT           PIC X.
  03  NUMB           PIC X(6).
  03  NAME           PIC X(20).
  03  ADDRX          PIC X(20).
  03  PHONE          PIC X(8).
  03  DATEX          PIC X(8).
  03  AMOUNT         PIC X(8).
  03  COMMENT        PIC X(9).

Example: Master File for the Transaction/Program 

FILENAME=ETPBRW8, SUFFIX=CICSTRAN, CODEPAGE=37, $
  SEGMENT=SEG1, SEGTYPE=S0, $
   GROUP=FILEREC, USAGE=A80, ACTUAL=A80, $
    FIELDNAME=STAT, USAGE=A1, ACTUAL=A1, $
    FIELDNAME=NUMB, USAGE=A6, ACTUAL=A6, $
    FIELDNAME=NAME, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
    FIELDNAME=ADDRX, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
    FIELDNAME=PHONE, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=DATEX, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=AMOUNT, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=COMMENT, USAGE=A9, ACTUAL=A9, $
  SEGMENT=SEG11, SEGTYPE=S0, PARENT=SEG1, $
   GROUP=FILEREC, USAGE=A80, ACTUAL=A80, $
    FIELDNAME=STAT, USAGE=A1, ACTUAL=A1, $
    FIELDNAME=NUMB, USAGE=A6, ACTUAL=A6, $
    FIELDNAME=NAME, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
    FIELDNAME=ADDRX, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
    FIELDNAME=PHONE, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=DATEX, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=AMOUNT, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=COMMENT, USAGE=A9, ACTUAL=A9, $

Reference: Access File Attributes

Keyword

Description

 
SEGNAME

Is the name of the input segment in the Master File. 

CONNECTION

Indicates the connection_name as previously specified in a SET CONNECTION_ATTRIBUTES command. Defaults to the default connection. 

TRANSACTION

Is the name of the program to be executed. 

COMMAREA

Is the maximal size of COMMAREA for the Adapter for CICS Transactions. The options are:

CALC means that the maximal segment length will be used.

value defaults to 32500. You can enter a value that represents the physical length of the data.

Example: Access File for Transaction/Program 

SEGNAME=SEG1,CONNECTION=CICST1,TRANSACTION=etpbrw8,COMMAREA=32500,
  FLOAT=IBM,INTEGER=BigEndian,$

Note: Do not change the FLOAT or INTEGER parameter values.

Example: Sample CICS Transaction 

001700 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
001800 PROGRAM-ID. ETPBRW8.
001900 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
002000 DATA DIVISION.
002100 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
002200 01  .
002300     02  WS-RESPONSE            PIC 9(8) BINARY.
002500     02  WS-RECORD-SUB          PIC 9 VALUE 1.
002510      02  WS-ACC-NUM                PIC X(6). 
002600 01  COMMAREA.
002601     05  MESSAGES-OUT           PIC X(1000).
002602*---------------------------------------------------------------*
002700 LINKAGE SECTION.
002800 01 DFHCOMMAREA.
003000     05  WS-OUTPUT-RECORD OCCURS 4 TIMES.
003100         10  STAT                 PIC X.
003110         10  ACC-NUM              PIC X(6).
003300         10  NAME                 PIC X(20).
003400         10  ADDRX                PIC X(20).
003500         10  PHONE                PIC X(8).
003600         10  DATEX                PIC X(8).
003700         10  AMOUNT               PIC X(8).
003800         10  COMMENTS             PIC X(9).
003900*---------------------------------------------------------------*
004000 PROCEDURE DIVISION.
004100 PROCESS-INPUT.
004110     MOVE ACC-NUM(1) TO WS-ACC-NUM
004200     EXEC CICS STARTBR FILE('FILEA')
004300               RIDFLD(WS-ACC-NUM)
004400               GTEQ
004500     END-EXEC
004600     .
004700
004800        MOVE 1 TO WS-RECORD-SUB
004900
005000     PERFORM 4 TIMES
005100
005200     EXEC CICS READNEXT FILE('FILEA')
005300                        RIDFLD(WS-ACC-NUM)
005400                        INTO(WS-OUTPUT-RECORD(WS-RECORD-SUB))
005500                        RESP(WS-RESPONSE)
005600     END-EXEC
005700
005800        ADD 1 TO WS-RECORD-SUB
005900
006000     END-PERFORM.
006100*---------------------------------------------------------------*
006200     EXEC CICS RETURN 
006300     END-EXEC.
006400     GOBACK
006500     .

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