All CECI screens have the same basic layout. As shown in Figure 153, CECI displays consist of:
The command line is the first line of the screen. You enter the command you want to process or whose syntax you want to check here. This can be the full or abbreviated syntax. The rules for entering and abbreviating the command are:
E INTO option conflicts with SET option and is ignored
The following example shows the abbreviated form of a command. The file control command:
EXEC CICS READ FILE('FILEA') RIDFLD('009000') INTO(&REC)
can be entered on the command input line, as:
READ FIL(FILEA) RID(009000)
or at a minimum, as:
READ F(FILEA) RI(009000)
In the first form, the INTO specification creates a variable, &REC, into which the data is to be read. However, INTO is a receiver (as defined above) and you can omit it. When you do, CICS creates a variable for you automatically.
As you go through the process of interpreting a command, CECI presents a sequence of displays. The format of the body of the screen is essentially the same for all; it shows the syntax of the command and the option values selected. The status line on these screens tells you where you are in the processing of the command, and is one of:
From any of these screens, you can select additional displays. When you do, the body of the screen shows the information requested, and the status line identifies the display, which may be any of:
These screens are described in Using the CECI function keys. You can request them at any time during processing and then return to the command interpretation sequence.
There is also one input field in the status line called NAME=. This field is used to create and name variables, as explained in Variables and Saving commands.
When the status line shows command syntax check (as shown in Figure 153), it indicates that the command entered on the command input line has been syntax checked but is not about to be processed. This is always the status if you enter CECS or if you precede your command with a question mark. It is also the status when the syntax check of the command gives severe error messages.
In addition, you get this status if you attempt to execute one of the commands that the interpreter cannot execute. Although any command can be syntax-checked, using either CECS or CECI, the interpreter cannot process the following commands any further:
This display (as shown in Figure 151) appears when none of the reasons for stopping at command syntax check applies.
READ FILE('FILEA') RIDFLD('009000') STATUS: ABOUT TO EXECUTE COMMAND NAME= EXEC CICS READ File( 'FILEA ' ) < SYsid() > SEt() | Into() < Length() > RIdfld( '009000' ) < Keylength() < GEneric > > < RBa | RRn | DEBRec | DEBKey > < GTeq | Equal > < Update < Token() > > PF 1 HELP 2 HEX 3 END 4 EIB 5 VAR 6 USER 7 SBH 8 SFH 9 MSG 10 SB 11 SF
If you press the ENTER key at this point without changing the screen, CECI executes the command. You can still modify it at this point, however. If you do, CECI ignores the previous command and processes the new one from scratch. This means that the next screen displayed is command syntax check if the command cannot be executed or else about to execute command if the command is correct.
This display (as shown in Figure 152) appears after the interpreter has executed a command, in response to the ENTER key from an unmodified about to execute command screen.
INQUIRE FILE NEXT STATUS: COMMAND EXECUTION COMPLETE NAME= EXEC CICS INquire File( 'DFHCSD ' ) < STArt | END | Next > < ACcessmethod( +0000000003 ) > < ADd( +0000000041 ) > < BAsedsname( ' ' ) > < BLOCKFormat( +0000000016 ) > < BLOCKKeylen( -0000000001 ) > < BLOCKSize( -0000000001 ) > < BRowse( +0000000039 ) > < DElete( +0000000043 ) > < DIsposition( +0000000027 ) > < DSname( 'CFV01.CICS03.PSK.CSD ' ) > < EMptystatus( +0000000032 ) > < ENAblestatus( +0000000033 ) > < EXclusive( +0000000001 ) > < Fwdrecstatus( +0000000361 ) > < Journalnum( +00000 ) > + < KEYLength( +0000000000 ) > RESPONSE: NORMAL EIBRESP=+0000000000 EIBRESP2=+0000000000 PF 1 HELP 2 HEX 3 END 4 EIB 5 VAR 6 USER 7 SBH 8 SFH 9 MSG 10 SB 11 SF
The command has been processed and the results are displayed on the screen.
Any receivers, whether specified or not, together with their CICS-supplied values, are displayed intensified.
The body of command syntax check, about to execute command, and command execution complete screens contains information common to all three displays.
The full syntax of the command is displayed. Options specified in the command line or assumed by default are intensified, to show that they are used in executing the command, as are any receivers. The < > brackets indicate that you can select an option from within these brackets. If you make an error in your syntax, CECI diagnoses it in the message area that follows the body, described in The message line. If there are too many diagnostic messages, the rest of the messages can be displayed using PF9.
Arguments can be displayed in either character or hexadecimal format. You can use PF2 to switch between formats. In character format, some characters are not displayable (including lowercase characters on some terminals); CECI shows them as periods. You need to switch to hexadecimal to show the real values, and you need to use caution when modifying them, as explained in Making changes.
If the value of an option is too long for the line, only the first part is displayed followed by "..." to indicate there is more. You can display the full value by positioning the cursor at the start of the option value and pressing ENTER. This produces an expanded display described in Expanded area.
If the command has more options than can fit on one screen, a plus sign (+) appears at the left-hand side of the last option of the current display to indicate that there are more. An example of this is shown in Figure 152. You can display additional pages by scrolling with the PF keys.
CECI uses the message line to display error messages. After execution of a command, the message line shows the response code. Figure 153 shows an error message, where the user has omitted a required field. The S that precedes the message indicates that it is severe (bad enough to prevent execution). There are also warning messages (flagged by W) and error messages (flagged by E), which provide information without preventing execution. E messages indicate option combinations unusual enough that they may not be intended and warrant a review of the command before you proceed with execution.
Where there are multiple error messages, CECI creates a separate display containing all of them, and uses the message line to tell you how many there are, and of what severity. You can get the message display with PF9, as explained in Using the CECI function keys.
Figure 152 shows the second use of the message line, to show the result of executing a command. CECI provides the information in both text (NORMAL in the example in Figure 152) and in decimal form (the EIBRESP and EIBRESP2 value).
The single line at the foot of the screen provides a menu indicating the effect of the PF keys for the display.
The PF keys are described below. If the terminal has no PF keys, the same effect can be obtained by positioning the cursor under the required item in the menu and pressing ENTER.