Activating MFS output formatting for SLU P
MFS output formatting occurs when an output message has an associated message output descriptor (MOD).
- The MPP supplies the name of a MOD (MOD name) with the output message.
- The input message was processed by a message input descriptor (MID) whose definition specified a MOD name for output formatting.
- The output message is a message switch from a device using MFS editing.
If no MOD is associated with the output message, standard IMS output editing occurs.
Input formatting for a workstation only occurs when a MID name and the message itself are sent to IMS. Specifying the next MID name is allowed in the message output description. Controller involvement is required to assure the proper MID is used, because IMS cannot directly control the receipt of input. Therefore, while IMS is formatting an output message, the workstation can be sending an input message. Input sent while IMS is processing output is queued by VTAM® until IMS completes output processing. If the next MID name is specified, the input queued by VTAM appears as if it were the result of the current output. Unpredictable results occur if the internal MID name is used to format the message. IMS avoids this by sending the MID name as part of the input message.
IMS informs the controller that the name of the next MID is specified, and sends the MID name requested and the output message to the workstation. The controller then saves the MID name, displays the output message, reads the next operator input, adds the saved MID name to the transaction, and sends the transaction to IMS.