Creating transaction indexes

Creating transaction indexes from original log files is a useful preliminary step for problem analysis. Where original log files typically contain many types of record, a transaction index contains only a single type of record. Analyzing transaction index records is a useful starting point for analyzing problems with transactions.

Before you begin

Before using the procedure described here to create transaction indexes, you must register a session and add the log files from which you want to create the transaction indexes.

About this task

You can use several methods to create transaction indexes:

  • The procedure described here: on the Locate and Manage Log Files panel for a session, enter CI next to a log file from which you want to create a transaction index.
  • The easiest way: create a session based on a template that contains workflow tasks to select log files and create transaction indexes from those log files. To create transaction indexes, you run the workflow tasks.
  • On the Tasks panel for a session, you can use the AUTO command to create a sequence of workflow tasks: tasks that select log files, followed by tasks that create transaction indexes from those log files.
  • To create a DB2® accounting index: on the session menu, select option 4 Reporting, select reporting option 5 DB2, and then request an extract.
  • Creating CICS-DBCTL reports from original log files involves creating CICS® and IMS transaction indexes: select option 4 Reporting, select reporting option 3 CICS-DBCTL, and then follow the on-screen prompts to select the appropriate options.

Procedure

  1. On the session menu, select option 3 Files.
  2. Enter CI next to a log file from which you want to create a transaction index.
  3. Specify the types and data set names of the transaction indexes that you want to create.
  4. Optionally, specify exception criteria and an interval to extract only matching records.
  5. Press Enter to generate the request JCL.
    The JCL is displayed in a Notepad panel.
  6. Submit the job: enter SUB on the command line.
  7. Press the Exit function key (F3) to return to the list of log files in the session.
  8. When the job completes, refresh the panel to show the new transaction indexes in the list of log files: enter REFRESH on the command line.

    If the list of files does not display the expected transaction indexes, check the job output for errors: return to the session menu, select option 2 Workflow, and then enter ? next to the corresponding task. Check the SYSPRINT data set for error messages.