Interpreting runtime messages

The first step in debugging your routine is to look up any runtime messages. runtime messages are written to the C stderr stream. runtime messages provide users with additional information about a condition, and possible solutions for any errors that occurred. They can be issued by Language Environment common routines or language-specific runtime routines and contain a message prefix, message number, severity code, and descriptive text.

In the following example Language Environment message: 
CEE3206S The system detected a specification exception (System Completion Code=0C6).
  • The message prefix is CEE.
  • The message number is 3206.
  • The severity code is S.
  • The message text is The system detected a specification exception (System Completion Code=0C6).

Language Environment messages can appear even though you made no explicit calls to Language Environment services. C/C++ runtime library routines commonly use the Language Environment services. This is why you can see Language Environment messages even when the application routine does not directly call common runtime services.

Message prefix

The message prefix indicates the Language Environment component that generated the message. The message prefix is the first three characters of the message number and is also the facility ID in the condition token.

Message prefix Language Environment component
CEE Common run time. See Language Environment runtime messages in z/OS Language Environment Runtime Messages.
EDC C/C++ run time. See XL C/C++ runtime messages in z/OS Language Environment Runtime Messages.
Start of changeIGZ End of change Start of changeCOBOL runtime. See COBOL runtime messages in z/OS Language Environment Runtime Messages. End of change

Message number

The message number is the 4-digit number following the message prefix. Leading zeros are inserted, if the message number is less than four digits. It identifies the condition raised and references additional condition and programmer response information.

Severity code

The severity code is the letter following the message number and indicates the level of attention called for by the condition. Messages with severity I are informational messages and do not usually require any corrective action. In general, if more than one runtime message appears, the first noninformational message indicates the problem. For a complete list of severity codes, severity values, condition information, and default actions, see Interpreting runtime messages in z/OS Language Environment Programming Guide for 64-bit Virtual Addressing Mode.

Message text

The message text provides a brief explanation of the condition.