Rules for editing and translating messages

When editing messages, you must observe the following rules.

Message items that must not be altered

You must not alter the following types of message item:

  1. ins#n format (CHAR]HEX]DEC]TIME]DATE) pubschar "xxxxx"
  2. special_insert xxxxxxxx

These types of inserts must not be changed in any way. However, when editing the message, you can alter the order and position of the inserts within the message, to make the sentence structure more appropriate, but must not change the insert number. The positioning of inserts in the message template determines the location of the inserts in the output message. The suffix #n associates the insert with a variable in CICS® code; it does not denote its position in the output message. For example:

   in English
          "text...",ins#1,"text....",ins#2
   might be in another language
          ins#2,"text...",ins#1,"text...."

Figure 56. Message editing utility edit message panel showing types of inserts
                      Message Editing Utility - Edit message
 
    Message number: AC2016
 
  ****** ***************************** TOP OF DATA *****************************
  228000 text " Transaction "
  229000 special_insert tranid
  230000 text " cannot run because program "
  231000 ins#1 format CHAR pubschar "program name"
  232000 text " is not available."
  ****** **************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *******************
 
 
 
 COMMAND ===> ________________________________________________ SCROLL ===> PAGE_
  F1=Help      F2=Split     F3=End       F4=Refresh   F5=Rfind     F6=Rchange
  F7=Backward  F8=Forward   F9=Swap     F10=Left     F11=Right    F12=Cancel

In the example in Figure 56, line numbers 229000 and 231000 can be moved but must not be altered in any way.

Message items that can be altered

The message editing utility limits the editing to the message text, to maintain the integrity of the message definition. You can alter the following types of message item:

  1. text "text_string"
    ins#n format OPT value#n "text_string"

    You can translate the text, text_string, which appears between the two double quotes or text delimiters. The "text_string" must not extend beyond column 72 or be continued onto the next line. If more than one line is required for the text, another text "text_string" record must be added. The text may be in upper or mixed case. Double-byte text must be enclosed in shift-out and shift-in delimiters within the text_string.

    For optional inserts, OPT value#n, the value#n can spread over several adjacent lines. If you move such an insert, you must move all subsequent value#n lines that are part of the insert. If you do not move all value#n lines for an insert, the message editing utility does not detect this, but CICS will issue an error message if it tries to issued such an incompletely edited message.

    An example of this type of message is shown in Figure 57. In this example, line numbers 625850 and 625870 must be moved together, and line 625870 must remain below line 625850.

    Figure 57. Message editing utility edit message panel, opt insert split over lines
                          Message Editing Utility - Edit message
     
        Message number: SI1502
     
      ****** ***************************** TOP OF DATA *****************************
      625830 text " CICS startup is "
      625850 ins#1 format opt value#1 "Cold" value#2 "Warm"
      625870 value#3 "Emergency" value#4 "Logterm"
      625890 text "."
      ****** **************************** BOTTOM OF DATA ***************************
     
     
     
     COMMAND ===> ________________________________________________ SCROLL ===> PAGE_
      F1=Help      F2=Split     F3=End       F4=Refresh   F5=Rfind     F6=Rchange
      F7=Backward  F8=Forward   F9=Swap     F10=Left     F11=Right    F12=Cancel
  2. reply#n "text_string"

    These are a special form of message insert which also serve to define the reply values for a console message requiring an operator reply. They are not be applicable to DBCS languages, because console messages cannot be translated into DBCS languages, unless they are sent to a TDQ destination as well. The positional rules are the same as for other types of inserts. As with the value#n keyword, the text_string within the double quotes following the reply#n keyword may be translated. The text_string must be in upper case. An example of this is shown in Figure 58.

    Figure 58. Message editing utility edit message panel showing reply#n over several lines
                          Message Editing Utility - Edit message
     
        Message number: AP0100
     
      ****** ***************************** TOP OF DATA ****************************
      554200 text " Suffixed module "
      554800 ins#1                                format CHAR pubschar "modnane"
      555400 text " cannot be loaded. ENTER new suffix, "
      555600 reply#1 "YES"
      555800 text "(unsuffixed), "
      556000 reply#2 "NONE"
      600000 text "(dummy), or "
      640000 reply#3 "CANCEL"
      ****** **************************** BOTTOM OF DATA **************************
     
     
     COMMAND ===> ________________________________________________ SCROLL ===> PAGE_
      F1=Help      F2=Split     F3=End       F4=Refresh   F5=Rfind     F6=Rchange
      F7=Backward  F8=Forward   F9=Swap     F10=Left     F11=Right    F12=Cancel

Note for DBCS languages

If a message has a destination of TERMCDBC or CONSOLE, it must not be translated into a DBCS language. If a message has a destination of CONSOLE and TDQ then it can be translated.

Overall message length

The different message destinations have different maximum message lengths. If these are exceeded the message will be truncated. The number of bytes specified for each destination is after the message identifier and default leading inserts have been taken into account, all you need consider is the text you are presented in the Edit message panel.

In calculating the overall message length, you must include the lengths of both inserts and text strings. The following is a guide to the lengths of inserts and special_inserts;

Change flags

Some lines have a symbol such as ‘@PA’ at the end of the line. These symbols are IBM® internal change flags and can be removed or over typed if needed.

Related reference
Message editing utility (DFHMEU)
Installing the message editing utility
Process for using the message editing utility
Starting the message editing utility (Step 1)
Specifying default values for the message editing utility (Step 2)
Performing actions on message data sets (Step 3)
Adding the new message load modules to STEPLIB (Step 4)
Applying PTFs to the message editing utility (Step 5)
Getting help with the message editing utility
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