Autoinstalling terminals--preliminary considerations

You use the DEFINE TERMINAL(..) and DEFINE TYPETERM(..) commands to define VTAM® devices to CICS®. These commands define the resource definitions in the CICS system definition file (CSD). Your definitions can specify that they can be used as models for autoinstall purposes. Defining and installing model resource definitions for terminal control enables CICS to create required entries in the terminal control table (TCT) automatically, whenever unknown devices request connection to CICS. A particular advantage of automatic installation (autoinstall) is that the resource occupies storage in the TCT only while it is connected to CICS and for a specified delay period after last use.

You use the autoinstall control program to select some of the data needed to automatically install your terminals--notably the CICS terminal name and the model name to be used in each instance. You can use the CICS-supplied autoinstall program, or extend it to suit your own purposes.

For an overview of autoinstall, see the CICS Resource Definition Guide. You should also read the sections in the same manual that describe the CEDA commands that create the environment in which your control program can work.

If you choose automatic installation for some or all of your terminals, you must:

Coding entries in the VTAM LOGON mode table

CICS uses the logmode data in the VTAM LOGON mode table when processing an autoinstall request. Autoinstall functions properly only if the logmode entries that you define to VTAM have matches among the model TERMINAL definitions that you specify to CICS.

The tables in Appendix A. Coding entries in the VTAM LOGON mode table show, for a variety of possible terminal devices, what you must have coded on the VTAM MODEENT macros that define, in your logmode table, the terminals that you want to install automatically. Between them, the tables show the values that must be specified for each of the operands of the MODEENT macro.

Some of the examples in the appendix correspond exactly to entries in the IBM-supplied logon mode table called ISTINCLM. Where this is so, the table gives the name of the entry in ISTINCLM.

Using model terminal support (MTS)

CICS Transaction Server for z/OS® supports the model terminal support (MTS) function of VTAM 3.3 and above.

Using MTS, you can define the model name, the printer (PRINTER), and the alternate printer (ALTPRINTER) for each terminal in a VTAM table. This information is sent by VTAM in an extended CINIT RU. CICS captures it as part of autoinstall processing at logon, and uses it to create a TCTTE for the terminal.

Coding entries for MTS

You need to define model names (MDLTAB, MDLENT, and MDLPLU macros) and printer and associated printer names (ASLTAB, ASLENT, and ASLPLU macros) to VTAM.

The autoinstall control program for terminals

In addition to managing your resource definition, your autoinstall control program can perform any other processes that you want at this time. Its access to the command-level interface is that of a normal, nonterminal user task. Some possible uses are listed The sample autoinstall control programs for terminals.

The control program is invoked when:

  1. An autoinstall INSTALL request is being processed
  2. An autoinstall DELETE request has just been completed
  3. An autoinstall request has previously been accepted by the user program, but the subsequent INSTALL process has failed.

On each invocation of the autoinstall control program, a parameter list is passed (using a communication area), describing the function being performed (INSTALL or DELETE), and providing data relevant to the particular event. (In case 3 above, the control program is invoked as if for DELETE).

The INSTALL and DELETE events are now described in detail.

Related tasks
Naming, testing, and debugging your autoinstall control program
Rewriting user-replaceable programs
Assembling and link-editing user-replaceable programs
Writing a program to control autoinstall of consoles
Writing a program to control autoinstall of APPC connections
Writing a program to control autoinstall of shipped terminals
Writing a program to control autoinstall of virtual terminals
Related reference
The autoinstall control program at INSTALL
The autoinstall control program at DELETE
The sample autoinstall control programs for terminals
[[ Contents Previous Page | Next Page Index ]]