Command-level interpreter (CECI)

You can use the command-level interpreter (CECI) transaction to check the syntax of CICS® commands and process these commands interactively on a 3270 screen. CECI allows you to follow through most of the commands to execution and display the results. CECI also provides you with a reference to the syntax of the whole of the CICS command-level application programming and system programming interface.

CECI interacts with your test system to allow you to create or delete test data, temporary storage queues, or to deliberately introduce wrong data to test out error logic. You can also use CECI to repair corrupted database records on your production system.

The interpreter is such a powerful tool that your installation can restrict its use with transaction security. (RACF® defines the security attributes for the CECI and CECS transactions.) If this has been done, and you are not authorized to use the interpreter transaction you select, you will not be able to initiate the transaction.

Using CECI

You start the command-level interpreter by entering either of two transaction identifiers, CECS or CECI, followed by the name of the command you want to test. You can list command options too, although you can also do this later.

Example
  • CECS READ FILE('FILEA')
  • CECI READ FILE('FILEA')

CICS responds with a display of the command and its associated functions, options, and arguments. If you leave out the command, CECI provides a list of possible commands to get you started. You can use any of the commands described for programming purposes in the CICS command summary and System commands.

If you use the transaction code CECS, the interpreter checks your command for correct syntax. If you use CECI, you have the option of executing your command when the syntax is correct. CICS uses two transaction identifiers to allow different security to be assigned to syntax checking and execution.

Making changes

Until CICS executes a command, you can change it by changing the contents of the command line, by changing the option values shown in the syntax display in the body, or by changing the values of variables on the Variables screen. (You can still make changes after a command is executed, but, unless they are in preparation for another command, they have no effect.)

When you make your changes in the command line or on the Variables screen, they last for the duration of the CECI transaction. If you make them in the body of the syntax screen, however, they are temporary. They last only until the command is executed and are not reflected in the command line.

Not all characters are displayable on all terminals. When the display is in character rather than hexadecimal format, CECI shows these characters as periods (X'4B'). When you overtype a period, the current value might not be a period, but might be an undisplayable character.

Furthermore, you cannot change a character to a period when the display is in character mode. If you attempt this, CECI ignores your change, and does not issue a diagnostic message. To make such a change, you have to switch the display to hexadecimal and enter the value (X'4B') that represents a period.

There is a restriction on changes in hexadecimal format as well. If you need to change a character to a blank, you cannot enter the code (X'40') from a hexadecimal display. Again, your change is ignored and CECI does not issue a message. Instead, you must switch to character mode and blank out the character.

After every modification, CECI rechecks your syntax to ensure that no errors have appeared. It restarts processing at the command syntax check if there are any execution-stoppers, and at about to execute command if not. Only after you press Enter on an unmodified about to execute command screen does CECI execute your command.