Common Programming Interface (CPI) Communications

Common Programming Interface (CPI) Communications defines a set of routines you can use to write Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) applications. You can call these routines from an application written in REXX, assembler or high-level programming languages. Programs using these routines can be more easily portable to other systems that abide by the CPI definitions.

z/VM has defined some routines that are extensions to CPI Communications routines. These z/VM extension routines exploit the capabilities of the z/VM operating system. In this book, the term CPI Communications includes the common routines and z/VM's extension routines.

CPI Communications lets your program communicate with another program that is on the same z/VM system, on a different VM system, or in a network defined by SNA. In z/VM, your application can use CPI Communications only in a CMS environment. See Understanding CPI Communications for more information on CPI Communications.