Using Message Format Service

Format the messages that you send to MPP using the Message Format Service (MFS). You define the format in control blocks.

The MFS control blocks indicate to IMS TM how you want your input and output messages arranged:

• For input messages, MFS control blocks define how the message that the terminal sends to your MPP is arranged in the I/O area.
• For output messages, MFS control blocks define how the message that your MPP sends to the terminal is arranged on the screen or at the printer. You can also define words or other data that appear on the screen (headings, for example) but do not appear in the program's I/O area. This data, called a literal, can be a field in the output message from the application program or a field in the input message from the terminal.