Message-switching responses

Every input from the terminal receives a response. Most responses are preceded by indicators where the letters before OK represent the first character of each of the CMSG options (except CANCEL) as follows:

   D    DATE
   E    ERRTERM
   H    HEADING
   I    ID
   M    MSG
   O    OPCLASS
   P    PROTECT
   R    ROUTE
   S    SEND
   T    TIME

These indicators identify the options that have been processed and that are currently in effect.

Errors may occur because of:

Syntax errors within an option cause it to be rejected by the message-switching routine. To correct a known error, reenter the option before typing the SEND keyword.

Syntax errors cause no data to be processed in that input beyond the detected error. All following data must be reentered to be included.

A specification or operation error message may be written to the terminal with an indicator that shows that the option in question has been processed and is still in effect. Two possible error messages are:

  1. M OK TERMID GT 4 CHAR AT T004A

    This message has been issued because the terminal identifier is greater than 4 characters. The absence of the R indicator preceding the message shows that ROUTE is not currently in effect and that the message must be reentered.

  2. MRHS OK INVLD TERMINL ID T004

    This message has been issued because the specified terminal is not known to CICS. The R indicator shows that ROUTE is still in effect. Operator action as a result of this type of message is either:

    Note:
    If an option is entered, the error message is repeated unless a new ROUTE option is entered before SEND. If the incorrect entry is changed or deleted by responding with a space or termid/opid, the message is routed unless other errors are still present. These errors are indicated by another message. If an option is entered, it signifies normal entry mode in which multiple options can be entered requiring another SEND option to end the input.

The following is a list of all possible responses from the message-switching program (DFHMSP). Because of device-dependent considerations, all responses are limited to 25 characters plus the indicators.

ALL ROUTE ENTRIES DELETED
A space entered in reply to a incorrect destination message caused the remaining destinations to be deleted, leaving no destinations to which to route the message. This condition forces a return to normal option mode, and a ROUTE option must be reentered to provide the message destinations.
CANCELED - TEMP STRG ERR N
N has a value in the range 1-4.
CLEAR/CANCL or cont input|route|msg
An operator on a 3270 family display device pressed the CLEAR key and the message states continue (CONT):
INPUT
The last option in the previous input is complete. Enter an option to continue.
ROUTE
The last option in the previous input is ROUTE and a closing parenthesis cannot be found. Continue entering ROUTE destinations.
MSG
The last option in the previous input is MSG, and a single quotation mark to end the message cannot be found, or a single quotation mark is found as the last character of the input, and might be the first of a pair of single quotation marks. If the previous input does not end with a single quotation mark, continue entering the message. If the previous input ends with a single quotation mark, enter another single quotation mark to continue the message (which causes a single quotation mark to be included), or enter any option that causes the message to be considered complete.
Note:
If the operator replies by again pressing the CLEAR key (two consecutive times) it has the same effect as entering CANCEL for the last 6 characters of the input.
CONTINUE INPUT
A SEND option has not been processed, and a ROUTE or MSG option was not being continued. Continue by entering any option.
CONTINUE INPUT OR MSG
The previous input ended with a single quotation mark with the MSG option being processed. This single quotation mark could specify the end of the MSG option or could be the first character of a pair of single quotation marks (signifying that a single quotation mark was to be included within the message).

If the next input starts with a single quotation mark, the message is continued with a single quotation mark included in the message. A nonpaired single quotation mark is required to end the MSG option.

If the next input starts with any character other than a single quotation mark, it is treated as the beginning of a new option and the MSG option is considered complete.

CONTINUE MSG
The previous input ended with the MSG option being processed, but no single quotation mark ended the entered text. Continue the message.
CONTINUE ROUTE OPERAND
The ROUTE option was being processed in the previous input and a space or an EOD was found. Continue the ROUTE option.
DATE ALREADY PASSED
A delivery date before the current day is invalid.
DATE INVALID AT xxxxxxxx
DATE must be in one of the following forms:
yy.ddd      year (00-99) and day (001-366)
mm/dd       month (01-12) and day (01-31)
mm/dd/yy    month (01-12), day (01-31),
                           and year (00-99)
D=+d        day (0-4)
DATE NOT xx/xx at xxxxx
DATE must start with 2 digits followed by a slash (for month), or a period (for year). This message is issued if the third character of DATE is not a slash or a period.
Notes:
  1. September 5, for example, must be specified as 09/05 and not as 9/5.
  2. The date must be valid, not 06/31 for example.
DATE TOO FAR IN FUTURE
Future delivery may not be specified after 0359 hours on the fourth day from the current day. The error is either:
  1. D=+n, where n is greater than 4, or
  2. DATE specified explicitly as being after the fourth day from the current day, or
  3. A condition of DATE and TIME that exceeds the stated limit.

If conditions 1 or 2 occur, the DATE option is not in effect (the D status indicator is not present). If condition 3 occurs, both the DATE and TIME options are currently in effect (the D and T status indicators precede the message), and one or both of them must be changed to a valid delivery time or the error occurs again.

ERRTERM INVALID AT xxxxx
An ERRTERM must be 1-4 characters.
ERRTERM INVLD/UNSUPP xxxx
A terminal identifier specified for the ERRTERM option does not have an entry specified in the CICS terminal definition, or it is for a terminal type not supported by BMS, and is therefore invalid. Valid replies by the operator to this are:
  1. A terminal identifier or ORIG in the same format as a normal ERRTERM destination (without entering the option ERRTERM or E). The message is routed following this input unless the new ERRTERM specified is invalid. In this case, the message is repeated.
  2. A space as the first character (followed by an EOB or comments). This causes the entire ERRTERM specification to be eliminated. The message is routed following this input.
  3. Any option that causes a return to normal option processing mode. If another ERRTERM option is not entered to correct this condition, the same error message is repeated after SEND has been reentered.

HEADNG NOT YES/NO AT xxxx
A HEADING option may only be specified as follows:
   HEADING
   HEADING=YES
   HEADING=NO
   H
   H=YES
   H=NO
ID OPERAND GT 62 CHARS
An ID option must be from 1-62 characters in length, and enclosed within parentheses.
ID OPERAND MISSING
The ID option requires the identifier to be enclosed within parentheses.
ID PARAM MISSING OR NO )
The ID option must be from 1-62 characters in length and enclosed within parentheses.
INVALID LDC AT xxxxxxxx
The LDC mnemonic is not valid for the logical unit, or a previous entry contained an LDC mnemonic that indicated a different device type.
Note:
A missing LDC mnemonic can cause this message if the default mnemonic for that station indicates a different device type than a previously indicated mnemonic (specified or defaulted).
INVALID OPND AT xxxxx
An option xxxxx is invalid (possibly caused by a keying error). No data beyond this point was processed. The status indicators represent the options that are in effect.
INVALID TBL SFX AT xxxxx
A terminal list table suffix must be 1 or 2 characters preceded by a period.
INVLD OPERATR ID AT xxxxx
An operator identifier must be 1, 2, or 3 characters preceded by a slash.
INVLD SEPARATOR AT xxxxx
The end of an option must be followed by a space, a comma (except for SEND), a carriage return (new-line character), or end of data (EOD).
INVLD TERMINL ID xxxx
There is no entry in the CICS terminal definition for the terminal identifier specified for a ROUTE destination. The valid operator reply is one of the following:
  1. A terminal identifier, or operator identifier, or both, in the same format as a normal termid/opid ROUTE destination (without entering the option ROUTE= or R=) that replaces the invalid destination.
  2. A space as the first character, which causes the invalid destination to be deleted.
  3. Any option that causes a return to normal option processing mode. If another ROUTE option is not entered, the same condition exists after the SEND option is reentered.
Note:
1 and 2 cause the message to be routed if the resulting destinations are valid; otherwise, another error message is issued.
LDC NOT 2 CHARS AT xxxxx
The LDC mnemonic that follows the * in the ROUTE destination must be 2 characters.
MESSAGE HAS BEEN ROUTED
A SEND option has been processed and the message has been routed to its destinations. This is the normal completion of a message-switching transaction.
MSG NOT SENT - NO RECEIVER
This condition is caused by an OPCLASS option specified without a ROUTE option and no operators, with the specified operator class, or classes, currently signed-on to terminal types supported by BMS. To correct this situation, a new destination must be entered by the ROUTE option, or OPCLASS option, or both.
NEED OPCLASS OR ROUTE
The SEND option was entered without specifying any destinations for the message. To correct this situation, a destination must be entered by the ROUTE option, or OPCLASS option, or both.
NO INPUT - REENTER
A transaction identifier was entered followed by end-of-data (EOD), or the number of backspace characters entered caused the deletion of all the data (including the position following the transaction identification, if present). If the input does not start with the transaction identifier, the terminal remains in conversation. Otherwise, it is not in conversation.
NO MESSAGE PROVIDED
The SEND option was entered without specifying the message. To correct the situation, provide the message.
NO MSG STRT QUOT AT xxxxx
A MSG parameter must be enclosed within single quotation marks. A single quotation mark must follow an M or MESSAGE.
NO TRMID FOR LDC AT xxxxx
The destination started with an asterisk *. A logical unit identification must precede the LDC mnemonic.
NO TERM LIST TBL-xx
An entry for a terminal list table with suffix xx (DFHTLTxx) was not found in the CICS system definition.
OPCLASS NOT 1-24 AT xxxxx
An OPCLASS parameter must be in the range 1-24.
OPERATORS NOT SIGNDON nnn
The ROUTE option specified operator identifications without terminal identifiers (that is, ROUTE=/opid). nnn operator identifications are not currently signed on.

The valid reply to this is to enter one of the following:

  1. A space as the first character, which deletes the nnn destinations.
  2. The character D (or any other character) which causes each of the nnn destinations to be individually displayed through the message OPRTR ID NOT SIGNDON.
  3. Any option that causes a return to normal option processing mode. If no further ROUTE options are entered, this same condition exists if an operator does not sign on before the SEND option is reentered.
Note:
This message is only issued if nnn is greater than 5; otherwise, each destination is individually displayed. Reply 1 causes the message to be routed if the resulting destinations are valid; otherwise, another error message is issued.
OPRTR ID NOT SIGNDON /xxx
An operator with identifier xxx, specified as a destination (entered either by the terminal operator or included as an entry in a TLT whose suffix was specified), is not currently signed on to any terminal controlled by CICS.

The valid reply to this is to enter one of the following:

Note:
The first two replies cause the message to be routed if the resulting destinations are valid, otherwise, another error message is issued.
PROTECT OPND NOT 1-2 CHAR
The PREFIX option of the PROTECT option must not specify more than 2 characters.
ROUTE INVALID AT xxxxx
A field separator entered before the first ROUTE parameter, or 2 consecutive field separators were found. Reenter a valid ROUTE option.
SPACE MUST FOLLOW TRANSID
One or more spaces must follow the transaction identifier before the first option can start. (The character C causes a continuation from the last input preceding a normal completion or a cancelation.)
TERMID GT 4 CHAR AT xxxxx
A terminal identifier must be 1-4 characters.
TERMID NOT +/- at xxxxx
All TLT suffixes must be specified before any individual destination (which must be preceded by a + or -) may be entered. A ROUTE option that specifies a TLT suffix may not be continued on a succeeding input. If a ROUTE option includes more than one parameter, it must be enclosed in parentheses.
TERMINATED BY OPERATOR
The operator entered CANCEL as the last 6 characters of the previous input, or pressed the CLEAR key twice in succession on an IBM 3275 (or 3277) display station. The previous input is canceled and the terminal is not in conversational mode with CICS message switching.
TIME ALREADY PASSED
A delivery time for the current day, more than one hour before the current time is considered already passed and is invalid.

If the message is for immediate delivery, enter T=+0, to replace the TIME option that is still in effect.

If the message is for delivery at the specified time on a future day, enter the appropriate DATE option. The specified time is still in effect.

If the message is for delivery at a different time, reenter the TIME option.

TIME INVALID AT xxxxx
TIME must be one of the following:
hhmm
0001-2400 (mm<60)
+hhmm
0000-2400 (mm<60)
+mm
00-99
+m
0-9
where hh=hours and mm=minutes.
TIME NOT 4 CHARS AT xxxxx
A TIME parameter must be a 4-digit number if it is not preceded by +.
TOO MANY TBL SFX AT xxxxx
A maximum of 10 TLT suffixes may be specified.
UNBALANCD PARENS AT xxxxx
A ROUTE or OPCLASS option started with a parenthesis but did not have one at the end, or ended with a parenthesis but did not have one at the beginning. xxxxx represents the characters near the relevant end of the option.
UNSUP OPRT TRMNL xxxxxxxx
An operator identifier without a terminal identifier was specified as a ROUTE destination; however that operator is signed on to a terminal that is a type not supported by BMS and is, therefore, an invalid destination.

The valid reply to this is the same as for the message OPRTR ID NOT SIGNDON.

UNSUP TERMINAL xxxxxxxx
A terminal identifier, specified as a ROUTE destination, is for a terminal type not supported by BMS and is, therefore, an invalid destination.

The valid reply to this is the same as for the message INVLD TERMINL ID.

ZERO LENGTH MSG AT ''
A message must have at least one character enclosed in single quotation marks. A single quotation mark to be included as part of a message must be entered as two separate single quotation mark characters. A message must start with a single quotation mark and may be followed immediately by pairs of single quotation marks.
+DATE INVLD 2330 TO 0030
A DATE=+ option is invalid from 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after midnight.

Related tasks
Using CICS supplied transactions
CMSG--message switching
Sending a message
Subsystems and terminal systems
CMSG command
CMSG examples
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