Creating an MFS message definition

The New MFS Message Definition wizard guides you through the creation of a message definition, which is appended to an existing MFS device format definition file.

To create a MFS message definition:
  1. Click File > New > Other. You can also use the keystroke combination Ctrl+N.
  2. Expand the z/OS Development category.
  3. Click MFS > MFS Message Definition.
  4. Click Next.
  5. On the Select the MFS Device Format file page, select the target device format file.
    MFS Message Definitions are appended only to MFS device format files with all of the following characteristics:
    • The MFS device format file exists in a local project or PDS that has a z/OS® file system mapping to an extension of MFS.
    • The MFS device format file contains correctly formatted MFS source.
    • The MFS device format file MFS source contains no parse or syntax errors.
    If the file you select in the wizard does not meet all these characteristics, then an error message is displayed.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Specify the following message definition attributes:
    Message name
    Specify the message name. Valid names are from one to eight characters. This entry is required.
    Description
    The description is added to the MFS source code prologue as a comment. This input is optional.
    Type
    Select the message type from the drop-down list. Valid values are Input and Output. Corresponds to the message parameter, TYPE=. This parameter is required.
    Fill
    Specify the fill character. This input is optional and is valid only for messages of type output. Corresponds to the message parameter, FILL=. If you specify a fill type of C'c', replace 'c' with the character to use as the fill value. For example, to specify a fill value of periods, provide the string: C'.'.
    Paging
    Specify whether operator logical paging or forward and backward paging, is provided for messages that are edited by using this control block. The default is for only forward paging of physical pages to be provided. Corresponds to the message parameter, PAGE=. This option is available only for the output type and is optional.
    Ignore
    Specify whether device features are to be ignored for this device. Corresponds to the IGNORE keyword specified in the SOR= message parameter. This parameter is optional.
  8. To specify more message attributes such as the logical page name, segment name, and message fields, click Next.
  9. On the Message Attributes page, specify the following attributes:
    Logical page name
    Specify a name to uniquely identify this statement. The length is from one to eight alphanumeric characters. This input is optional. Regardless of whether a logical page name is specified or not, the MFS message is always created with an LPAGE statement.
    Device page name
    Select the DPAGE name from the drop-down menu that defines the device format for this logical page. Only those device fields that are defined in the DPAGE are available to add as message fields to the logical page. This input is required
    Segment name
    Specify the segment name. Valid names are from one to eight characters in length. This input is optional.
    Graphic
    Mark this checkbox to specify that IMS is to perform uppercase translation on the segment, if the destination definition requests it. Corresponds to the segment parameter, GRAPHIC=. This parameter is optional and valid only for input messages.
  10. To add message fields, enter values for the following fields, and then click Add. Repeat this step for each field you want to add to the message.
    Message field
    Specify the field name. At least one message field must be specified for a MSG statement.
    Literal
    Specify the literal value to be inserted into the input message. This input is required if no length is specified for the message field.
    Device field names
    Select the device field to associate with the message field. The list is populated with only those device fields that are defined in the specified device page. This input is required when a literal is specified on a message field.
    Length
    Specify the message field length. Corresponds to the message field parameter, LTH. This input is required if no length is specified for the message field.
    Justification
    Select the field justification, either right or left, from the drop-down list. Corresponds to the message field parameter, JUST=, and is optional input.
  11. Click Finish.

    The message definition is created and displayed in the Outline view.