Conversation mode and response mode with ETO

ETO user structures are distinct from static terminal structures, because terminal status is maintained for each user rather than for each terminal.

An IMS conversation at a static terminal is distinct from an IMS conversation at a dynamic terminal, even for the same user name. The conversation at a static terminal can be held, and must be released (resumed) at the static terminal. It cannot be moved to a dynamic terminal.

With ETO, an IMS conversation can be resumed at the same terminal or another dynamic terminal. Because the conversation is an attribute of the user structure, it normally follows the user to a different terminal when the user signs on to IMS. The following of the conversation attribute can be a cause of confusion, especially if the user is not aware of which terminals are static and which are dynamic. Also, if an exit routine selects different user structures for signons to different physical terminals, confusion can occur.

Resume full-function and Fast Path response mode at the same static terminal. For ETO, resume full-function and Fast Path response mode from the same or another dynamic terminal. This ability to resume the Fast Path response mode from any dynamic terminal is similar to the situation with conversations described in the previous paragraph, and the same considerations apply.

Conversation mode

For ETO, conversations are associated with the user—not the terminal that initiates the conversation. Conversations are also associated with the terminal, but only while the user is signed on. By signing off, the user can continue a conversation on a different terminal. This flexibility requires the installation to address output formatting problems.

Users in conversations that are not in response mode can sign off. Regardless of response mode, users in conversation can be automatically signed off through autosignoff or by using an MTO command. Any form of signoff leaves the terminal available for the next user. The conversation mode status follows the user to the next terminal or, with the Resource Manager and global status recovery mode (SRM=GLOBAL), on a different IMS in the IMSplex.

Response mode

Response mode is defined on the TERMINAL macro for static terminals, on the ETO user descriptor for dynamic (ETO) users, and on the TRANSACT macro for transactions. Also, response mode is either full function or Fast Path. You can also use response mode with conversation mode, if you are not running Fast Path. Response mode is primarily associated with the user and the transaction, rather than with the dynamic terminal.

When a user is in response mode, the keyboard or input response is locked until the output reply is available. During this time, it is not possible to enter input at the terminal. Normal signoff and logoff commands are not allowed. However, these functions can occur automatically during abnormal session termination. This can happen in one of three ways:
  • VTAM® can detect an error and end abnormally (abend).
  • The MTO can issue the IMS /CLSDST or /STOP command.
  • IMS can autosignoff after the specified autosignoff interval.

Regardless of how signoff occurs, if RCVYRESP=YES or RCVYFP=YES, the response mode is retained for the user that has been automatically signed off. The user's response mode operation is re-established with the next terminal on which the user signs onto and remains until the response-mode output reply is available.

The master terminal operator can reset the Fast Path response mode of an ETO dynamic user before a response is returned by issuing the /STOP USER and /START USER commands in sequence from the master terminal. The master terminal operator can also reset the Fast Path input response mode of a static node by issuing the /STOP NODE, /START NODE commands in sequence from the master terminal.