Specifying background tasks to remove from active task displays

If you have tasks that are normally running in the background and do not need to appear in the workspaces used for routine monitoring, you can use the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace to create a list of such background tasks, specified by Transaction ID.

These tasks will still be monitored, but they will not be shown in workspaces that show active tasks (for example, the CICS Task Summary workspace), output from the FIND command, and other workspaces that are used to monitor tasks and identify performance issues.

You can create and manage Background Task lists from the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace.

Using the CICS Background Tasks Summary Workspace

The CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace lets you create, modify, copy, and delete Background Task lists. These are lists of the tasks that will be treated as background tasks in a CICSplex and region. To reach this workspace, follow these steps:

From the initial All Active CICSplexes workspace, select a CICSplex by entering S next to the CICSplex Name.
From the CICSplex Regions Summary, select a CICS region and navigate to the CICS Control Functions menu by entering C next to the CICS Region Name.
From the CICS Control Functions menu, select CICS Background Tasks List. From here, you can create and manage Background Task lists.

Command ==>                                                CICSplex : PIPPAPLX
KCPBGTSK           CICS Background Tasks Summary           Region   :         
                                                                               
                             CICS Background Tasks                             

  Columns  1 to  3 of 3                     Rows      1 to   3 of 3 
                                                                             
  CICSplex     CICS       Transaction                                        
  Name         Name       List                                               
                                                                             
  _ O*         CICD3*     CECI,CEDA,CEMT                                          
  _ OM*        CICD4*     CECI                                               
  _ CHETPLEX   CICD5401   CECI,CE?A

The CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace shows the Background Tasks lists that have been created. Each list is shown on one line and shows the CICSplex, CICS Name (region), and the tasks that are treated as background tasks for the region(s).

Creating a Background Tasks list

If there are no background tasks currently defined, select the Add button to add a list. Otherwise, enter A next to the CICSplex Name in one of the existing lists. This brings up the Background Tasks List: ADD panel.

                                                            Auto Update   : Off 
 Command ==>                                                Plex ID  : PIPPAPLX 
 KCPBGTSP                                                   Sys ID   :          
                                                                                
                  Background Tasks List: ADD                                    
                                                                                
    CICSplex Name:  ________     CICSplex and region name (or                   
                                 mask with wildcard characters)                 
    CICS Name    :  ________     background task list applies to.               
                                                                                
    Transaction List :           Transaction ID list identified as              
                                 background tasks.                              
                                                                                
    ________________________________________________________________   
    ________________________________________________________________                         
    ________________________________________________________________

Enter the CICSplex name and CICS Name (region), then enter the IDs you want to designate as background tasks, separated by commas; for example, CECI,CEMT,CEDM. Press ENTER. Finally, page down to the bottom of the panel and select the OK button. Your new Background Tasks list will appear in the CICS Background Tasks Summary (KCPBGTSK) workspace.

You can use an asterisk (*) wildcard at the end of any of the three fields: CICSplex name, CICS Name (region), and the Transaction List items themselves. You can use a question mark (?) as a single-character wildcard in any of these items as well.

 Command ==>                                                Plex ID  : OMEGPLEX 
 KCPBGTSM                                                   Sys ID   :          
                                                                                
                  Background Tasks List: MODIFY                                 
                              
    CICSplex Name: CHETPLEX      CICSplex and region name (or                   
                                 mask with wildcard characters)                 
    CICS Name    : CICD5401      background task list applies to.               
                                                                                
    Transaction List :           Transaction ID list identified as              
                                 background tasks.                              
    CECI,CEDA_______________________________________________________   
    ________________________________________________________________                         
    ________________________________________________________________

The list items must be separated by commas. They cannot be separated by blanks, as can be done with the FIND command.

After you perform an action, the Take Action Results message will confirm that the action was successfully completed, or it will display an error message.

Note: If filtering has been enabled, existing Background Tasks lists might not appear, and the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace will indicate, No current Background Task Lists Match Filter Criteria. If this is the case, you can press PF4 or enter FILTER at the Command ==> prompt, to bring up the Filter(s) subpanel. You can change or clear the filters from there. See "Filtering," below, for more information on filtering your Background Tasks lists.

Modifying a list

From the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace, you can modify an existing Background Task list. Enter M next to the CICSplex Name of the list you want to modify. This will display the Background Tasks List, from which you can edit the Transaction ID list.

Note: you cannot change the CICSplex Name or CICS Name fields here. If you want to change those, you can copy the list (see below) and specify a different CICSplex Name and/or CICS Name. This will create a new list, in addition to the existing list that was copied. The new list will have the new CICSplex name and CICS region name, but with the same list of transactions as in the list you copied.

Deleting a list

From the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace, you can delete a Background Task list. Enter D next to the CICSplex Name of the list you want to delete. A confirmation panel will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the list.

Copying a list

Enter C to copy the background task list for that CICSplex; for example, if you want to designate the same background tasks for another CICSplex or region. The Background Tasks List will appear. Enter the CICSplex and CICS Name (region). The new Background Task list will be created. You can also edit the list of transactions.

Filtering

From the CICS Background Tasks Summary workspace, press PF4 or select the filter indicator (green if filtering is not currently enabled, yellow if filtering is enabled) next to the CICSplex Name or CICS Name column label. You can also type FILTER at the Command ==> prompt. The Filter(s) panel appears.

Select CICSplex Name or CICS Name. The Filter Detail panel appears. This lets you specify a comparison operator, a value, and an uppercase transaction (UCTRAN) setting; when this is enabled, the comparison value will be treated as uppercase letters.

When you have specified these values, press ENTER, then select OK to confirm. The CICS Background Tasks panel will only display the items that correspond to your filter value(s). The filter indicator will be yellow, indicating that the list is currently filtered.

To unfilter the list, press PF4 or select the filter indicator, then select Clear all filters, then press PF3 to return to the CICS Background Tasks Summary panel.