Descriptor code meaning

Descriptor codes appear within the associated message. The descriptor code field can contain the following numeric values, special characters or note.

Code

Meaning

1

System Failure The message indicates an error that disrupts system operations. To continue, the operator must reIPL the system or restart a major subsystem. This causes the audible alarm to be sounded.

2

Immediate Action Required The message indicates that the operator must perform an action immediately. The message issuer could be in a wait state until the action is performed or the system needs the action as soon as possible to improve performance. The task waits for the operator to complete the action. This causes the audible alarm to be sounded.

Note: When an authorized program issues a message with descriptor code 2, a DOM macro must be issued to delete the message after the requested action is performed.

3

Eventual Action Required The message indicates that the operator must perform an action eventually. The task does not wait for the operator to complete the action. If the task can determine when the operator has performed the action, the task should issue a DOM macro to delete the message when the action is complete.

4

System Status The message indicates the status of a system task or of a hardware unit.

5

Immediate Command Response The message is issued as an immediate response to a system command. The response does not depend on another system action or task.

6

Job Status The message indicates the status of a job or job step.

7

Task-Related The message is issued by an application or system program. Messages with this descriptor code are deleted when the job step that issued them ends.

8

Out-of-Line The message, which is one line of a group of one or more lines, is to be displayed out-of-line. If a message cannot be displayed out-of-line because of the device being used, descriptor code 8 is ignored, and the message is displayed in-line with the other messages.

Note: Multiline messages directed at an OOL area and routed by either the UNKNIDS or INTIDS attributes will be forced "inline".

9

Operator's Request The message is written in response to an operator's request for information by a DEVSERV, DISPLAY, or MONITOR command.

10

Not defined Descriptor code 10 is not currently in use.

11

Critical Eventual Action Required The message indicates that the operator must perform an action eventually, and the action is important enough for the message to remain on the display screen until the action is completed. The task does not wait for the operator to complete the action. This causes the audible alarm to be sounded.

Avoid using this descriptor code for non-critical messages because the display screen could become filled.

If the task can determine when the operator has performed the action, the task should issue a DOM macro to delete the message when the action is complete.

12

Important Information The message contains important information that must be displayed at a console, but does not require any action in response.

13

Automation Information Indicates that this message was previously automated.

14-16

Reserved for future use.

/

The message will have different descriptor codes according to the task issuing it. For example, 4/6 means the message can describe system status or job status.

—

The message has no descriptor code.

N/A

A descriptor code is not applicable for the message.

Note 1

The descriptor code for an IBM® Health Checker for z/OS® check exception message might vary, because the installation can override the descriptor code either using the MODIFY hzsproc command or in the HZSPRMxx parmlib member. See IBM Health Checker for z/OS User's Guide for more information. In addition to the descriptor code selected by the installation, one of the following descriptor codes is also included based on the severity of the check:

High severity checks use a descriptor code of 11.
Medium severity checks use a descriptor code of 3.
Low severity checks use a descriptor code of 12.