This topic describes
the format and use of condition representation within Language Environment. Conditions
can be defined in many ways. Some examples are hardware- or software-detected
events (which might or might not be critical for the application to
run properly), asynchronous events, or the completion of a unit of
work (successfully or unsuccessfully).
Systems communicate information about conditions in a variety of
ways. Return and condition codes are examples of condition information.
Also, common usage is almost nonexistent in representing or communicating
these conditions across IBM® products
or platforms. Therefore,
Language Environment is required
to define a consistent data type to represent conditions and communicate
information about them to enable ILC and cross-system source code
portability of applications The methodology presented here is required
for the representation and communication of condition-related information:
- As a feedback code (return information) from all Language Environment callable
services
- As input to the Language Environment condition
manager
- As input to the Language Environment message
services
.