Valid combinations and restrictions for descriptor codes

Descriptor codes are specified in the DESC parameter of the WTO or WTOR macro. The following restrictions apply when specifying descriptor codes:

• Descriptor codes 1 through 6, 11, and 12 are mutually exclusive. Assign only one of these codes to a message. If you assign two mutually exclusive codes to one message, the system uses the most important code and ignores the other.
• Descriptor codes 7 through 10 and 13 can be assigned in combination with any of the mutually exclusive codes.
• Descriptor code 9 can be used only with descriptor code 8.

Under certain conditions, the system uses a descriptor code other than that specified in the macro as follows:

• The system assigns descriptor code 6 if the macro specifies a ROUTCDE parameter, but no DESC parameter.
• The system assigns descriptor code 7 if all of the following are true:
  1. A problem program issued the macro.
  2. The macro omits both DESC and ROUTCDE parameters, or specifies descriptor codes 1 or 2.
  3. The message is not a multiple-line WTO message.
• The system assigns no descriptor code if all of the following are true:
  1. An authorized program issued the macro.
  2. The macro omits both DESC and ROUTCDE parameters.
  3. The message is not a multiple-line WTO message.
  Note: An authorized program has at least one of these characteristics:

  • Authorized by the authorized program facility (APF)
  • Runs in supervisor state
  • Runs under PSW key 0 through 7