Selecting trace entries in the CICS internal trace table for formatting and printing

With the IPCS SDUMP formatting program (DFHPDnnn), you can select which trace entries in the CICS® internal trace table to format for a system dump by using the CICS dump exit component keyword TRS.

DFHPDnnn is release dependent. The program you use must match the CICS release level of the dump data. For example, you must use DFHPD760 to process CICS TS beta system dump data.

For an introduction to the CICS internal trace table, see Internal trace table.

About this task

You can use the TRS keyword to select trace entries by:
  • A specified number of blocks at the end of the CICS internal trace table
  • Kernel task
  • Task identifier
  • Terminal
  • Transaction identifier
  • Time period
  • Trace identifier

The way you select trace entries in the CICS internal trace table for formatting and printing is similar to how you select trace entries in an auxiliary trace data set for formatting and printing by using the CICS trace utility program (DFHTUnnn). The trace selection parameters can be any valid trace selection parameters available to DFHTUnnn, except for the parameters PAGESIZE, ABBREV, SHORT, and FULL. Whether for internal trace or for auxiliary trace, the trace selection parameters have the same format and default values. For information about the statements that you can use to select parts of the CICS internal trace table, see The trace selection parameters for DFHTUnnn.

For abbreviated and full trace formatting, a trace summary table provides summary information about the trace entries that relate to each task in the system during the time period. The trace summary table appears at the end of the formatted trace output. Use the table to see the tasks that were traced, and the location and number of their trace entries in the trace output. The table also highlights any long time gaps between the trace entries for a task, which can indicate a performance problem, and any exception trace entries for a task. The trace summary table is not produced for short-format trace.

Note: The trace summary report formats transaction identifiers only if the trace point ID XS 0701, XS level 1 for the transaction is included in the trace data set.

Procedure

  1. Specify the TR parameter, with a value of 1, 2 or 3, on the IPCS VERBEXIT command.
    This setting ensures that output from the trace domain is formatted and the TRS keyword is effective.
  2. To select which trace entries in the CICS internal trace table to be formatted by IPCS, specify the TRS parameter on the IPCS VERBEXIT command. The VERBEXIT statement specifies the verb name CICSnnn to process CICS system dump data. CICSnnn reflects the CICS release level of the dump.
    In the TRS keyword, you can specify any number of trace selection parameters from those available to CICS internal trace. The trace selection parameters, when used to select trace entries from the CICS internal trace table, have the same format and default values as when you use DFHTUnnn to format auxiliary trace entries. You must use angled brackets around the parameter, or sequence of parameters, that you specify. For descriptions of available parameters, see The trace selection parameters for DFHTUnnn.
    Example
      VERBEXIT CICS760 'DEF=1,DLI=1,KE=3,TR=2,TRS=<TRANID=CSSC,KE_NUM=12,LAST_BLOCKS=500>'

    This VERBEXIT statement is for processing the CICS TS beta internal trace table.

    The verb name CICSnnn corresponds to the IPCS dump exit routine DFHPDnnn, as specified in the DFHIPCSP member in the CICSTSnn.CICS.SDFHPARM library. CICSTSnn reflects the CICS release. For example, the library is CICSTS64.CICS.SDFHPARM for CICS TS beta.