Online and offline messages

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Online messages and offline messages indicate less severe conditions than system error messages. They can originate from either online or offline processes and are not usually accompanied by dumps.

Like system error messages, the TPFDF product issues online messages when it runs in a Transaction Processing Facility (TPF) system or an Airline Control System (ALCS) environment. Offline messages occur in programs that run under IBM MVS control.

The severity of the condition determines whether the system issues a system error message or an online message. Online messages are typically issued by TPFDF utilities, such as TPFDF data collection (ZUDFC).

Message formats

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When you see an online or offline message on your screen or read it in a dump, you will notice that the message has one of the following formats.

Table 1. Message Format
Format Description
ppppnnnnx hh.mm.ss text Message with the standard message ID.
text Message without the standard message ID.

Standard messages

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Messages with the standard message ID have the following format:

ppppnnnnx hh.mm.ss text

When reading from left to right, this format contains the following parts.

Table 2. Format of a Standard Message
Part Description
ppppnnnnx The standard message ID, which has the following parts:
  • pppp, which represents the first 4 characters of the segment name or the secondary action code of the associated input message.
  • nnnn, which represents a unique messae number.
  • x, which represents one of the following severity codes:
    • I for information only, which indicates the message is a normal response.
    • A for action required, which indicates that additional operator action is required.
    • W for attention, which indicates an error that could require additional user action.
    • E for error, which indicates an error without program shutdown.
    • T for termination, which indicates an error with program shutdown.
hh.mm.ss The time stamp, which represents the time that the message was built. When you look up a message, ignore the time stamp.
text The text of the message.

Non-standard messages

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Messages without the standard message ID are shown with the following format:

ttttttttt text

When reading from left to right, this format contains the following parts.

Table 3. Table 3. Format of a Non-Standard Message
Part Description
ttttttttt The nonstandard message ID that is used for publication purposes only and is represented as 000000000. This message ID is not coded with the message text.
text The text of the message.

Locate an online or offline message

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In the top outer corner of each page you will find the range of message IDs listed on that page (for example, UDFC0016E • UDFC0019E). This means that the first online or offline message on the page is UDFC0016E and the last online or offline message on the page is UDFC0019E.

There are two ways to locate an online or offline message depending on whether the message does or does not have the standard message ID.

Standard messages

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If a message has the standard message ID, the message IDs are listed in increasing numeric order preceded by their alphabetic prefix.

To find a message with the standard message ID, record the message ID from the message; for example, UDFC0061E. Then, use the first 4 characters of the message ID to locate the section where these messages are listed. Finally, use the remaining numbers and characters that make up the message ID to find the message. In this example, the first 4 characters are UDFC while the remaining numbers and characters are 0061E.

Non-standard messages

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If a message does not have the standard message ID, the message is listed with a message ID of 000000000 and then presented in alphabetic order based on the initial message text.

To find a message without the standard message ID, record the message text from the message; for example, UNABLE TO PROCESS - LOG FILE CORRUPTED. Then, locate the section where the messages with a message ID of 000000000 are listed. Finally, use the message text to find the message.

Analyze an online or offline message

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Once you locate a message, you will notice that the message ID and the message text are framed in a box for quick access. In the message text, variable information is shown in italicized lowercase letters. When a message actually occurs, specific information is provided for the variable information in the message that is displayed on your screen or printed in the dump. Explanations of the variable information are described immediately following the message text or in the actual explanation of the message.

Below each message you will find the following information to help you analyze the message.

  • Explanation

    Provides a brief description of the error conditions and the reason why an error occurred. A description of any variable information that is included in the message text may also be included in this explanation. If there is no explanation necessary, the word None is printed.

  • System Action

    Indicates the action taken by the TPFDF product, TPF system, or ALCS environment as a result of the error and provides an explanation indicating the results of the error. If there is no system action taken or the possibilities are too variable, the word None is printed.

  • User Response

    Provides suggestions for a user action to correct the problem. Bulleted lists and numbered lists may be used to present this information to you. A bulleted list is used to present several different actions you can perform to resolve the problem. These actions are ordered from the least severe to the most severe. A numbered list is used whenever a procedure must be followed in sequential order to resolve a problem. In addition, cross-references to other messages or other additional information may be provided if applicable. If there is no user response necessary, the word None is printed. The user responses are suggestions. Verify any action with your system support personnel first.

Standard message example

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The following is an example of how an online or offline message with a standard message ID and its associated information is presented.

UDFC0061E
PROGC ERROR RETRIEVING UF0A/UFA2 PAT ADDRESS
Explanation:

Data collection cannot be started because an error occurred while retrieving the program allocation table (PAT) address of UF0A or UFA2. Without this address, data collection cannot determine if these programs are in an active loadset.

System Action:

Data collection is not started.

User Response:

Do the following:

  1. Verify that these programs are allocated correctly in the subsystem attempting to run data collection.
  2. Correct the problem.
  3. Enter the ZUDFC START command again.

See TPFDF Commands for more information about the ZUDFC START command.

Non-standard message example

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The following is an example of how an online or offline message without a standard message ID and its associated information is presented.

000000000
ZFCRU- operation IMPOSSIBLE TO EXECUTE - NO POOL AVAILABLE
Where:
operation
The ZFCRU operation.
Explanation:

An error occurred when you entered a ZFRCRU command because no pool records are available.

System Action:

The ZFCRU command is rejected.

User Response:

Do the following:

  1. Free up additional pool records.
  2. Enter the ZFCRU command again.

See TPFDF Commands for more information about the ZFCRU commands.