Using the dynamic distributed program link user exit

When a program link is requested from an application program, CICS® links either to a program that is on the local system, or to a program that is on a remote system, depending on how the program has been defined in the PD, or on the parameters that are passed in the application program. The dynamic distributed program link user exit allows you to select dynamically the system to which the link request is routed.

CICS invokes the dynamic distributed program link user exit in the following conditions:


  • When the user exit has been declared by using the UserExitNumber attribute in the PD for the user exit program. The user exit number is 50.

  • When a program that has been specified in the PROGRAM field of the EXEC CICS LINK command is about to be linked to.

  • When an External CICS Interface (ECI) program invokes a link request to a CICS application program.

  • When a link request that is made by a CICS application program or by an ECI program specifies a program that does not have a PD for it.

  • After a program that has been dynamically linked-to encounters a problem, and the initial invocation requests reinvocation at termination.

  • After a program that has been dynamically linked-to successfully completes, and the initial invocation requests reinvocation at termination.
This user exit cannot be used:
  • To link dynamically programs that are not started by using a link request
  • When a short on storage problem occurs while the user exit is called
  • To link dynamically a CICS-supplied transaction